
Gpight]»l?_ 



CQFlfRIGIIT DEPOSm 



EXPERT AUCTION 

A CLEAR EXPOSITION OF THE GAME 

AS ACTUALLY PLAYED BY EXPERTS 

WITH NUMEROUS SUGGESTIONS 

FOR IMPROVEMENT 



BY 

E. V. SHEPARD 

author of 
"scientific auction bridge" 




HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS 

NEW YORK AND LONDON 



^^^-^ 



S'2 




JUL 22 1916 



Expert Auction 



Copyright, 1913. 1914. I9i6, by E. V. Shepard 

Printed in the United States of America 

Published July, 1916 

G-Q 



5)CI.A433838 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Expert Auction ^ 

Valuing Hands 3 

The Basis of Sound Bidding ii 

Attacking Hands ^3 

Light No-trumpers ^^ 

Bidding Vocabulary 23 

Informatory Bids 3i 

Supporting Bids 39 

Opening Attacking Bids 43 

Forced Bids 59 

Changing Partner* s Call 72 

Secondary Bids 7^ 

Compensated Suits ^^ 

Defensive Bids ^9 

Passing 99 

Doubling and Redoubling 1^3 

No-trump Leads ^^7 

Trump Leads ^32 

Leads to Partner's Strength ^44 

Conventional Plays ^5^ 

Eldest Hand ^^^ 

Pone •... ^^6 

Declarer . . . .../..; ^94 

Laws of Auction ^^5 



EXPERT AUCTION 



(3 



EXPERT AUCTION 



Expert Auction demands proficiency in several dis- 
tinct departments of the game — the bid, the play, and 
the laws. Aptitude, study, and practice with experts 
are needed to produce really good players. The or- 
dinary home game, and even the best that the great 
majority of social clubs can offer, is poor compared 
to the game regularly played in clubs which make a 
specialty of Auction. Luck is so large a factor that 
average players with good hands fail to realize that 
an expert could win from 20 per cent, to 40 per cent, 
more with the same cards. Yet it is not at all difficult 
to play well. The first step and usually the hardest is 
to realize that your present game lacks something. 
Every one's game can be bettered, and if you honestly 
seek improvement you will find it. 

It is possible to deal 635,013,559,600 different 
Auction hands. The best possible system of bid and 
play is that which, if 'consistently followed, would 
win the most possible points if each of these hands 
could be played. All this has been determined with 
mathematical precision, and the resulting scientific 
system of bid and play averages to give the best pos- 

I 



sible results. To make easier reading most of the 
mathematical probabilities have been omitted. But 
each bid and play which the reader is advised to 
use is based upon mathematical fact and practical 
experience. 



VALUING HANDS 

Sizing up a hand is simple but very important. 
A good player can reckon at a glance the probable 
number of tricks a hand is worth, both at trumps or 
at no tnmips, either as declarer, as dummy, or as one 
of the defenders. 

No such thing exists as a ''sure trick" or a ''certain 
winner" prior to the determination of the call at 
which a hand is to be played. Even an ace may be 
trumped. It is convenient, however, to speak of 
"sure tricks," "probable tricks," "possible tricks," 
and "losing cards." The play of the hand also de- 
velops "chance winners" because several high cards 
falling together make a "losing card" good for a 
trick, because a low trump kills a probable winner or 
because the last cards of a suit cannot be trumped. 

As used in this book, an ace or both K-Q are "quick 
tricks"; that is, probable tricks on the first or second 
round of a suit. Any card having better than even 
chances to take a trick is called a probable trick. 

COUNTING TRUMP TRICKS 

On your own trump call in a suit of five or more cards 
you will ordinarily win a trick for each trump held, 
minus the loss of a trick for each missing ace, king, or 

3 . 



queen of trumps (called the high honors). Thus an 
''established" (or ''set-up") trump suit like A-K- 
Q-9-6 will ordinarily take five tricks. One containing 
K-Q-J-8-5 can be valued at four tricks, and A-Q-J- 
7-3 must be counted at four tricks. If your partner 
holds the missing king of the last hand, he is counting 
ii. as one of his tricks and you must not duplicate his 
count. If your left-hand opponent has this king 
guarded you cannot catch it. 

To average to win two tricks in a 5 -card trump suit, 
merely on its length, its top card must not be lower 
than the jack nor must its other cards all be the lowest 
possible. You will, however, average to win three 
tricks on a 6-card trump suit even when they are 
the lowest possible cards. To probably win all the 
tricks in your trump suit you must hold 5 or 6 to 
A-K-Q, 7, 8, or 9 to A-K, and 10 to the ace without 
the king. 

Such probably established suits are worth the same 
at no tnunps and as a "side suit" at trumps, provided 
your trumps are sufficiently strong to pull out all op- 
posing ones, so that your "plain suit" will not be 
trumped. 

On partner's trump call count as tricks the cards 
he regards as lost — each high trump honor. He has 
usually 5 trumps and so expects to lead them 3 rounds 
before exhausting opponents. If you hold 4 or 5 trumps 
he will probably need to lead them once less, so you 
count one trick for such length of trumps, regardless 
of their denominations. In addition to saving him a 
lead and the possible loss of a trick, you give him a 
jneans of entry to your hand, unless all of your trumps 

4 



are lower than any of his. Your partner may have 
only 4 tramps or he may have an established suit 
which he estimates as probably able to win 5 tricks or 
more without your help. Consequently it is wholly 
problematical how much assistance your trumps will 
really be, but figuring on average cases and the proba- 
bility that your side suits will not run precisely the same 
length as his, you may expect to do some ''ruffing." 
On that basis you can estimate 6 tnmips as worth 2 
tricks and 8 trumps as worth 3 tricks. Aside from 
tricks due to high honors and to unusual length of 
suit, dummy must count on 2 tricks for ruffing a void 
suit or I trick for ruffing a suit in which he has a single- 
ton — provided he holds at least 3 trumps. Opponents 
will probably lead trumps to prevent ruffs. Even if 
your partner wins the first trump trick, unless your 
side has the aee of yotir singleton suit, you will be 
unable to use one of only two trumps to ruft^ it, because 
opponents will at once remove your last trump. So 
with only 2 trumps you can count on but one ruff of a 
void suit and on none of a singleton suit. With only 
one trump you must not calculate on being able to 
ruff a void suit at all. 

Opponents must count tricks in declarer's suit with 
extreme caution. The ace or both K-Q, either K-J-io 
or Q-J-io are each worth a sure trump trick if held on 
declarer's right. The ace, the K-Q and Q-J-io must be 
counted for only a trick if held on his left. But K-Q-X 
(X meaning any card smaller than the lowest card 
specifically mentioned), K-J-io and Q-J-io-X can be 
counted for 2 tricks, if in that position. 

K-X or Q-X-X must be counted as a probable trick 

S 



at declarer's left, but cannot be reckoned as even a 
possible trick if situated at his right. Either king or 
queen requires an unusual combination of two lower 
cards to guard them, or else at least 3 other trumps with 
them, to be counted as probable tricks when situated 
at declarer's right. J-X-X-X is a probable trick and 
any five trumps not lower than the 7 give a probable 
trick on either side of declarer. 

COUNTING SIDE TRICKS 

All outside aces, also guarded kings, with two ex- 
ceptions, count as probable tricks for all players. If 
a king is on the right of a bidder of that suit it must 
be guarded, as already noted for the king of trumps 
under similar circumstances. The king of a suit of 
7 or more cards cannot be counted as a probable trick, 
owing to its liability to be trumped. 

A 3 -card smt has precisely even chances of being 
trumped on its third round or of going safely. Add to 
this the chances that both ace and king may fall to- 
gether, and either Q-J-io or Q-J-g becomes worth a 
probable trick to their holder. If in suits of over 3 
cards they can be counted as probable tricks only by 
the declarer, by the dummy if he holds fair trump sup- 
port, and by a side player only when he is unusually 
strong in trumps or in re-entry cards in his other two 
plain suits. 

Either declarer or dummy can count a probable trick 
for each card of an established side suit, provided he is 
strong enough in trumps to prevent ruffs. If dummy is 
rather weak in trumps his side suit cannot be safely 

6 



countedas worth over 3 tricks. If he has only i or 2 small 
trumps the side suit is probably good for only 2 tricks, 
because one or both opponents are apt to be strong in 
tnmips and to kill the side suit by removing re-entry 
to dimimy before the declarer can exhaust opposing 
trumps; if dtmimy has a ''chicane'' hand (one void of 
tnmips) this is almost certain to be true. 

A side player cannot well estimate his established 
plain suit as probably worth over 2 tricks, unless he 
has abundant re-entry and considerable tnmip strength, 
so that declarer can be run out of trumps. 

Re-entry cards at trtimps are limited to aces and 
guarded kings. At no trumps are added *' extra- well- 
guarded" queens (queen with three others or queen 
with two others, one of which is a lower honor) pro- 
vided there are less than 5 cards in their suit. A 5 -card 
suit is not apt to be opponents' strong suit and hence 
they are not likely to lead it often enough for the 
queen to win. 

Six tricks average to be won by trumps, leaving only 
7 tricks to be taken in the other 3 suits. It is thus 
evident that only their aces, favorably located kings, 
and strong combinations of honors can safely be 
counted on as probable tricks tmder all circtimstances. 

NO TRUMPS 

At no trumps the probable winners are: aces, pro- 
tected kings, extra-well-guarded queens, all cards of a 
** solid" suit (established suit) and all cards of an es- 
tablishable suit minus the tricks necessary to clear it. 

Just as at trumps, you figure that a long suit at no 

7 



crumps has its first 3 tricks won by ace, king, and queen. 
Three rounds will usually leave the possessor of a long 
suit with all its reraaining "extra" cards or ''long" 
cards, as follows: 2 from a 5-card suit; 3 from a 6-card 
suit; but a 4-card suit cannot be calculated to leave a 
long card, as usually another player has as many or 
more cards in the suit. Suits of 7, 8, or 9 cards generally 
require only 2 leads to clear them. 

The declarer, on spade calls, can count his probable 
tricks in the following hand as shown below : 

Spades, A-K-9-6-5; Hearts, A-Q-J-7-3 ; Clubs, — ; 
Diamonds, 10-4-2. 4 spade tricks, 4 heart tricks; total, 
8 tricks. 

Spades, A-Q-J-i 0-6-2; Hearts, K-6; Clubs, Q-J-9; 
Diamonds, Q-s. 5 spade tricks, i heart trick, i club 
trick; total, 7 tricks. 

Spades, A-K-J-8-7-S-3 ; Hearts, K; Clubs, J-io- 
7-4-3; Diamonds, — . 7 spade tricks, 2 club tricks; 
total, 9 tricks. 

The partner of a player bidding hearts must count 
his probable assistance on these hands as : 

Spades, K-6; Hearts, Q-9-2; Clubs, 7-5-4-2; Dia- 
monds, A-J-8-6. I spade trick (unless a bidder of 
that suit sits at his left), i heart trick, i diamond 
trick; total, 3 tricks. 

Spades, — ; Hearts, J-8-5; Clubs, K-Q-8-5-2; 
Diamonds, 10-7-6-4-3. 2 heart tricks (through ruffing 
spades), i club trick; total, 3 tricks. 

Spades, J-6-4; Hearts, K-9-6-3; Clubs, 10; Dia- 
monds, J-9-8-S-4. 3 heart tricks (i for king, i for ruff, 
and I because there are 4 trumps) ; total, 3 tricks. 

Spades, 9; Hearts, 8-4; Clubs, A-K-Q-J; Diamonds, 



10-8-7-6-3-2. No ruff can be counted because trumps 
are too short. 3 club tricks only, because weak in 
trtmips; total, 3 tricks. 

Spades, J-6; Hearts, K-J-9; Clubs, 10-7; Diamonds, 
A-K-Q-J-9-2. I heart trick, 6 diamond tricks (estab- 
tablished suit and strong trimip assistance); total, 7 
tricks. 

Against a bidder of clubs a player can count his 
probable tricks on these hands as : 

Spades, 10-6-3; Hearts, A-J-9-3; Clubs, K-7; 
Diamonds, A-9-6-2. i in hearts, i in clubs, i in 
diamonds; total, 3 tricks, provided he sits at de- 
clarer's left ; otherwise he cannot count a club trick. 

Spades, A-K-9; Hearts, 7-4-3; Clubs, J-i 0-4-2; 
Diamonds, 8-7-4. 2 spade tricks, i club trick; total, 
3 tricks. 

Spades, J-8; Hearts, 6-5; Clubs, A-8-5-3-2; Dia- 
monds, A-K-Q-J. 2 club tricks, 3 diamond tricks; 
total, 5 tricks. 

Trick counting at no trumps, especially when bid 
more to show general help than with the intention of 
playing them, is less certain than at trumps. The great 
advantage that the declarer has in having the lead 
come up to him, and in knowing his resources the mo- 
ment that dummy is boarded, enables him to at once 
strike to establish his best suit, while his adversaries 
are still groping to find out where their joint strength 
chiefly lies. 

The first hand below is probably w^orth 5 tricks to 

its no-trump bidder — 2 spade tricks and i trick in each 

other suit. The second hand is probably worth only 

its 4 aces. The third hand is probably good for i trick 

2 9 , 



in each of spades, hearts, and diamonds, with s tricks 
in clubs; total, 8 tricks. 

Spades Hearts Clubs Diamonds 

1. A-Q<2 K-J K^J-5-3 Q-J-9~7 

2. A-io-6 A-7-4--2 A-9-8 A-6-4 

3. A-9 K-J-9 A-K-Q-9-6 A-8-3 

Such hands constitute genuine *' Bridge'* no-trump- 
ers. The more modern varieties bid for special pur- 
poses will be discussed later on. 



THE BASIS OF SOUND BIDDING 

If all possible hands were to be dealt and played at 
the declaration best suiting the 13 cards held by the 
dealer, the remaining 3 players having no voice in the 
matter, the declarer would average to win 4.94 tricks 
per deal, while dimimy's average assistance would be 
2.69 tricks, a total of 7.63 tricks per hand. These 
figures presume that each player makes his best possible 
plays, with the declarer deriving no advantage from, 
playing both hands of his side. Thus hands average 
to be worth 5 tricks on their best call, while dtmimy 
averages to be worth a full 2 tricks to the declarer. 

Sound bidding is based upon these averages. In 
the absence of evidence to the contrary a player must 
assimie that his partner holds average strength. Con- 
sequently you assume that your partner's hand is 
probably worth 5 tricks on his best call, and has 2 
tricks help for your own, even when he makes no bid. 
Under ordinary circtimstances there is no reason, in 
fact no excuse, for bidding a hand which will probably 
yield barely average results both on its best call and on 
partner's best declaration. 

In actual play good bidders usually strike the calls 
best suited to their joint hands, and the final declara- 
tion ordinarily develops strength much above average. 

II 



As half the hands played go game, it follows that half 
the time the joint tricks won by side players do not 
exceed three. Consequently a hand worth 2 quick 
tricks against opponents' calls must be rated as above 
average defensive strength. If such a hand is also of 
nearly average strength on its own call it then deserves 
to be bid. 

A sound bid, therefore, indicates that a special reason 
for bidding exists. An original bid under ordinary cir- 
cumstances may be due to any one of the following 
reasons : 

1. Shows a hand probably worth 5 tricks on its own call 
and more than 2 tricks help for partner. 

2. Shows a hand probably worth only 4 tricks if left in, 
but worth at least 2 quick tricks on partner's call or against 
adversaries', with added possibilities. 

3. Shows a hand probably worth over 5 tricks if undis- 
turbed, although it may yield partner only average assistance 
or even less. 

No other sound reasons exist for the action of the 
player who makes the first bid. 

To legitimately raise partner's bid after a subsequent 
player has overbid ordinarily requires the raiser to 
hold more than 2 probable tricks. 

Under ordinary circumstances these basic principles 
of sound bidding should be strictly observed. Ex- 
ceptional circimistances and bids thereunder will be 
discussed later. 



ATTACKING HANDS 

At Trumps: 

An attacking hand is one of sufRcient strength to 
probably win, with partner^s aid, at least the odd trick 
on its best call. The rainimiim strength necessary at 
trumps is 4 tricks, of which 3 should be in the trump 
suit. 

To spare small trumps to niff your adversaries' long 
suits and still be able to lead them often enough to 
exhaust opposing trumps necessitates a long trump suit. 

The high honors are also requisite to prevent an 
adversary winning your trump leads and returning his 
established plain suit for you to ruff. Both length 
and strength in trtunps are necessar}^ to command the 
situation. 

The next best thing to holding both is to have either 
great strength, as A-K-Q-J, or great length^not fewer 
than 6 trumps. 

It is unsafe to depend upon only 4 trtimps yielding 
a long trump. To probably win three tricks in a suit 
of less than 5 cards requires the 3 high honors in a 
3-card suit. A 4-card suit requires either 3 high 
honors or 

13 



1. A-K with J or the 10-9 

2. A-Q '' " " 
3- K-Q '' '' '' 

4. A-J-10-9 

5. K-J-10-9 

Such combinations must yield 2 tricks, and will, prob- 
ably yield 3 tricks by leading through from dimimy. 
With some of the above combinations only exceptional 
circumstances can justify a bid of even a minor suit. 
Here is one such illustration — the score is bad and 
i-Club has been bid by the dealer, when the next 
player holds: 

Spades, A-K; Hearts, 8-6-5-3-2; Clubs, 8-7-4; 
Diamonds, K-J-10-9. 

It is now proper to show that he can probably win 
I -odd if left alone and that he has better than average 
assistance for partner's calls, by bidding i-Diamond. 

Other combinations (like A-K-J-X, A-Q-J-X or 
K-Q-J-X), with a trick or two in another suit, do not 
need exceptional circumstances to make a bid per- 
fectly sound. 

ATTACKING DECLARATIONS AT NO TRUMPS 

The chief distinction between a trump and a no- 
trump hand comes in the way the strength lies. If 
concentrated mainly in one suit, especially if it lies 
largely in a long suit of low cards, it is a trump hand. 
If the strength is scattered through 3 or 4 suits, par- 
ticularly if it fails to give the spade or heart suits at 
least three probable tricks, it is a no-trump hand. 
Frequently either strong trumps or no trumps can be 
declared upon the same cards. 

14 



A single weak suit may ruin the chances to go 
game at no tnmips. Therefore a trump declaration 
apt to win the game, or one probably able to win as 
many tricks as a no-trumper which cannot go game, is 
preferable whenever all four suits are not doubly 
guarded, or unless three suits can be stopped once and 
the fourth suit consists of a long set-up suit. Do not 
consider a suit positively establishable and go no 
trump, unless this suit can be established by means of 
the re-entry in your weakest suit, if game can surely 
be won at an alternative trump declaration. 

Any no-trumper without an ace, unless all suits 
are- weir guarded, is dangerous and is legitimate only 
as a desperate resort. Your adversaries can use their 
aces to establish a suit against single stops, and will 
probably count 30 honor points on aces, possibly 100 
points, against you, in addition to the score for setting 
you. 

A trump declaration reduces the dangers from strong 
opposing side-suit cards through ability to ruff. At 
no trumps established suits, sequences, and long cards 
are less easily escaped. On the other hand, a trump 
call reduces diunmy's available winning cards, because 
opponents hurry to make their good cards before the 
declarer can exhaust trumps and establish suits against 
them. No such immediate reduction occurs at no 
trtimps in diunmy*s strength, and the declarer hastens 
to utilize the joint strength of his 2 hands before ad- 
versaries discover their best plan of action. This is 
why strong trump calls are more certain in results 
than strong no-trump declarations; also why for des- 
perate cases the no-trumpers may turn out best. 

IS 



Five probable winners properly distributed over at 
least 3 suits, including at least one ace, is a fair average 
hand upon which to declare no trumps. Four probable 
winners, unless all are aces or at least well-guarded 
kings, is a weak hand, since the average adverse 
strength will be to the declarer's strength as ii to 9. 
Only the advantage of his position can overcome this 
handicap. 

Four aces in one hand urge a no-trump bid, unless 
the game can be won at trumps, on accoimt of im- 
mediate power to stop adverse suits and establish 
partner's long suit; also on account of the 100 honor- 
point value of 4 aces in one hand. 

Three aces do not compel a no-trump bid. The 
best chance often lies in supporting partner's bid, 
although the 3 aces usually bring a hand up to the 
necessary strength to make some opening bid. 

Two aces and another guarded suit give good grounds 
for a no-trumper when pushed by the score. 

The ace of one suit and an established diamond or 
club suit of six or more cards constitute what is known 
as *' one-suit no-trumper." The power of minor suits 
under present laws makes this species of no-trumper 
far less common and of less value than formerly. 

In similar manner, 6 or 7 probable winners, distrib- 
uted in any way, give a reasonable hand for no- 
tnmip bids, if no satisfactory trump call is possible. 

Unevenly divided cards, giving part long and part 
very short suits, unless the latter are well guarded, 
greatly increase the risks of a no-trumper. Irregular 
hands are, as a rule, best adapted to tnunp bids. 

A theoretical average hand would contain i ace, 

16 



I king, I queen, i jack, and i ten. If the strength is 
well distributed over the various suits, a hand con- 
taining one more king or queen than this average hand 
is suitable for a no-trumper. 

An established suit adds greatly to the strength of a 
hand. An establishable suit is less desirable, as it 
involves risk in setting it up. Sequences also add 
strength. If moderately high, like J-io-9-8-5, they 
insure stopping the run of adverse suits and make an 
excellent lever to pry out opposing higher cards. Any 
guarded suit offers an obstacle to opposing strength 
and gives re-entry to a hand. Cards of re-entry are 
essential to success at no tnimps, as a player is helpless, 
no matter how good a suit he holds, if he cannot get 
in. At trumps re-entry can often be obtained by 
ruffing, but no such refuge is found at no trumps. 



LIGHT NO-TRUMPERS 

There have been introduced from tirne to time vari- 
ous forms of the '4ight no-trump bid/' Any hand is 
Hght which is not at least a king above average, and 
with its strength favorably distributed over more than 
2 suits. The present laws have added so greatly to 
the fighting power of minor suits that to bid such a 
hand is chiefly to show general help and to forestall an 
opponent who may hold a better no-trump hand. 
This is a feature of the *' forward game" (which loses 
no chance to show strength to partner). Unless a 
bidder can see at least 3 probable tricks help for partner, 
with other possibilities, his bid cannot be justified, 
since he has small hope of going game at no trtimp, 
and compels partner to bid Two instead of One if he 
desires to call a suit make. 

Sitting tight with a hand able to defeat the no- 
truraper whenever such a hand cannot probably go 
game is an excellent counter to very light no-trump 
bids. Doubling the bid instead of bidding 2-N0 
Trumps over it is another. This double requests 
partner to bid any good suit he may hold, or to bid 2-N0 
Trumps if he has scattered strength, as explained more 
fully under ''Doubling and Redoubling." 

18 



Facts are stubborn things, in Auction as elsewhere. 
We must never forget that an average hand can win 
5 tricks on its own best declaration, and that it has 
between 2 and 3 tricks assistance for partner's call, 
with a trick or more against adversaries' strong decla- 
ration, as shown under *'The Basis of Sound Bidding." 
Under ordinary circumstances a hand which does not 
exceed the average, either offensively or defensively, or 
both, has no excuse for a bid. Unusual reasons for 
weaker bids may be score necessities or the personalities 
of the players. One other strong reason for weak 
no-tnmip bids is the use between partners of ''in- 
formatory bids " (those made to show partner assistance 
without desire to be left in). Such bids were common 
in the early days of Auction. They are scientific and 
involve little risk with expert partners. Their use is 
discussed under ''Informatory Bids." 

The only purely informatory bid now in common 
use is the light no-trump bid, although it is the most 
apt to remain undisturbed and the most dangerous to 
its bidder. But its greater possible reward has caused 
it to survive. 

Recognizing its dangers, the first precaution taken by 
light no-tnmip bidders was to ask that partner always 
take them out by bidding any 5 -card suit. This mini- 
mized bad losses, but it also lessened the chances to 
go game. In general, a take-out from weakness on 
less than 6 low cards gains nothing. But whether or 
not your partner bids weak no-trumpers, you should 
always take him out with a major bid on a long suit 
warranting such an original bid. You should bid a 
similar hand of diamonds or clubs only if he ha^ re- 

19 



quested such procedure, especially if the suit is es- 
tablished. 

*'The system/* as its advocates called it, was intro- 
duced in an attempt to obviate some of the dangers 
of the weak no-trumpers. Its maxim was: *' Partner, 
I never bid a no-trumper when weak in spades and 
hearts unless I can bid 2-N0 Trumps if you attempt a 
major take-out." Regardless of his no-trump support 
for his partner's call, a player of this system always 
overcalls with a 5-card major suit. His bid of Two 
in a minor suit would show lack of support and be a 
warning that he held no high-card support for his 
partner's no-trumper. 

A *' system player" might bid i-No Trump on the 
following hand, which is a queen below average: 

Spades, J-io-8-4; Hearts, K-9-7-2; Clubs, 
A-5-3-2; Diamonds, 6. 

His help for either major suit is quite likely 4 tricks. 
He bids with no desire to play the hand unless dummy 
can assist. He trusts that his partner may be able 
to make a major bid. His opponents must bid Two 
if they wish to play the hand, and it is unlikely that 
any call they may make will go game. But here is 
the obverse story: nobody will probably make a major 
bid when the no-trumper bidder holds 4 cards of each 
major suit; either counter, already mentioned, may 
be successfully employed against him; unless his 
partner has a minor suit bid or a no-tnmiper of his 
own, the game can hardly be won. 

The system no more justifies such a light bid than 
would any extreme ideas on bidding such filmy hands. 

It is well to bear in mind these mathematical fact§: 

2Q 



your partner will hold 5 cards or more of your suit as 
follows: 

with I card in your hand 35 in 100 times 
'' 2 " '' 26 

" 3 '' '' 18 

4 II 

Thus if you have 3 cards in each of the major suits 
your partner has only 36 in 100 chances to hold a suit 
of 5 cards or more in either one. With a doubleton in 
each there are 52 in 100 chances, or with i spade and 
3 hearts there are 53 in 100 chances for a take-out in 
one or the other. But you hardly desire to have him 
bid your shortest suit. It is only when you have con- 
sidered the probabilities that you can realize how 
futile the system is in the long run. In fact, it hampers 
a bidder, without extra compensation. 

Going even an added step in the wrong direction, 
some players who believe in the ** forward game" (one 
where no opportunity to bid is lost) bid i-No Trump 
on hands possessing strength only in the major suits, 
like this: 

Spades, A-.K-10-6; Hearts, A-K-7-3; Clubs, 
9-5-2; Diamonds, 8-4. 

If they realized that only 22 in 100 times can their 
partner make a major bid, they would abandon such 
practice. The only reasonable alternatives are: first, 
to make no bid, realizing that opponents* chances to 
go game are very small when you hold 4 probable 
tricks against all their possible calls; second, to bid 
One in its best suit — spades — on such a square hand. 
If left in, you have more than even chances to make 

21 



the odd, although there is less than i in 20 chances 
that nobody else has a higher legitimate bid. If your 
partner bids you have unusual help for him, or you can 
then shift to i-No Trump. The informatory bid of 
i-Spade is far less dangerous than i-No Trump and 
is nearer the truth. 

Good tacticians, in fact, first make even a minor 
suit bid on many really powerful no-tnmip hands, to 
note what bids follow. Take a hand like this : 

Spades, A-io; Hearts, 7; Clubs, A-K-Q-J-8-5; 
Diamonds, A-Q-J-6. 

Ordinary players jump at this chance to bid i-No 
Trump, but an expert is likely to bid i-Club. If his 
partner calls i-Heart the shift is made to i-No Trump. 
If an opponent bids the hearts an increase is made in 
the club bid. With a single stop in spades and a long 
heart suit against you the hand will never make game, 
while it can probably do so at clubs if partner has any 
assistance. 

A very long suit argues other long suits somewhere. 
In a very general way the hands around the board 
usually, but not necessarily, correspond in the lengths 
of suits. 



BIDDING VOCABULARY 

To avoid needless repetitions in the following chap- 
ters, and to aid the less experienced players to select 
the proper expression when referring to bids, some of 
the common terms used by players and writers are 
given below: 

Anticipatory: 

A bid made to show a lead in anticipation of what 
the next opponent may bid. 

Assisting: 

An increase by partner of your no-tnmip or suit bid 
after an opponent has overcalled your last bid. A 
supporting bid. 

Attacking: 

A bid made on an attacking hand. A business bid. 
One seeking a contract. 

Bluff: 

One made merely to mislead an opponent. A boost- 
ing bid. 

23 



Boosting: 

A higher bid than the hand is worth, made in hope 
that an adversary will overbid and thus suffer a loss 
instead of going game. 

Business: 

A bid which means business. One desiring the con- 
tract. An attacking bid of strength. 

Defensive : 

One made to save points. A protective bid. As 
when a player lacking high cards takes his partner out 
of no trumps because he believes the no-trtimp hand 
can help his suit bid more than his low cards can 
help the no-trtimper. Does not necessarily desire a con- 
tract, but is made to enlighten partner; to bluff an 
adversary into an overbid; to show partner the best 
lead to defeat opponents or to save game. 

Desperation: 

A bid not warranted by cards held, trusting to find 
a suit which partner can support, to save game by flag- 
flying or to bluff an opponent into overbidding his 
hand. 

Flag-Flying : 

Deliberately overbidding to prevent opponents from 
going game. Preferring to be set rather than to let 
adversaries win the rubber. Such tactics are never 
warranted when either you or your opponents are a 
*'game in" (one game for one side and none for the 

24 



other), or when neither has a game. Overbidding to 
take a slight loss rather than surrender the ''rubber 
game" (the odd game) is justifiable. 

Forced: 

A first-round bid made over a previous bid, but 
which would not have been made as an opening bid. 
Sometimes applied to any bid made after some other 
player has opened the bidding. This definition is too 
broad and is apt to lead to mistaken conclusions. 

Forward : 

A bid not fully in accord with sound practice. Such 
as making a suit bid without tops or bidding gauzy 
no-trumpers. 

Free : 

A free bid is one made by the dealer or by another 
player when previous players have made no bid. It 
ordinarily includes a bid of One over a i-bid in a lower 
suit, and also any unnecessarily high bid. One pre- 
simiably in strict accord with cards held, unless made 
over a lower bid. 

Game-Going : 

A bid apt ta win game. One in no trumps, spades, or 
hearts. A major bid. Minor bids must win 5-odd 
tricks at a love score to go game. The chances of a 
side holding cards to win 4-odd are to their chances 
to hold cards good for s-odd as 67 is to 25. As major 
suits can outbid minor ones, and as they are preferable 
3 25 



when a choice of bids exists, the number of games 
actually won from a love score by the major calls may 
run from lo to 15 times as great as those won by minor 
calls. 

Inferential: 

A bid based on deductions df awn from the bids made 
by the other players* 

Informatory : 

A bid not seeking a contract. One merely intended 
to show partner more than average help for whatever 
he may bid or to disclose where strong opposition to 
opponents* calls chiefly lies. 

Initial: 

The first bid made on a deal. An opening bid. 

Late : 

One made after having passed on the former bidding 
rounds. If later than the second round it is an in- 
ferential bid. 

Light: 

One made on less than ordinary strength. 

Major: 
A no trump, spade, or heart bid. A game-going bid. 

Minor: 

A diamond or club bid. 

26 



Opening: 

The dealer's bid or, if he has passed, the first bid 
made by a subsequent bidder. An initial bid. 

Original: 

The first bid made by a specific player. Only the 
first player to bid has the opening bid, but every other 
bidder has an original bid. 

Preemptive : 

A light no-trump bid to forestall an opponent. An 
opening bid of more than One or any later unnecessarily 
high bid. A shut-out bid. Its purpose may be to pre- 
vent others from bidding or to convey specific informa- 
tion to partner. 

Primary : 

A bid made on the opening round of bids. 

Protective : 
A defensive bid. 

Score : 

One made on account of the state of the score. As 
a safe minor bid made in preference to a less safe major 
bid, because either will win the game if successful. Or 
a flag-flying bid to prevent opponents from going out. 

Secondary : 

One made on the second round of a suit which has 
not been made on its first. 

27 



Showing a Lead: 

A defensive bid which desires no contract but in- 
dicates the lead most desired. Often employed against 
a no-trump bid by the player at his right An an- 
ticipatory or informatory bid. 

Shut-Out : 
A preemptive bid other than i-No Trump. 

Speculative : 

A species of desperation bid, hoping to strike partner's 
best call. Generally occurs when a no-trump bid has 
been overcalled by an adversary and the partner of the 
no-trump bidder makes a bid not warranted by his cards. 

Supporting : 
An assisting bid. 

Tactical: 

A bid made for strategic purposes. As when a 
minor bid is made on a powerful no-trump hand to 
discover whether any other player will bid its weakest 
suit before venturing to bid i-No Tnrnip. Unsafe to 
attempt this, except on game probabilities, if a hand 
is very strong in all but one suit, because the bid will 
stand if this suit is scattered. But it can be done on a 
long set-up minor suit with a *' stopper " in 2 other suits. 

Take-Out : 

A defensive or offensive change from partner's call. 
When a player first bids one suit and then changes it 
to a new call on a later round, it is called a ** shift." 

28 



Unnecessarily High: 
A shut-out bid. 

There are only 3 distinct varieties of bids: attacking 
(or business), defensive (or protective), and inform- 
atory. 

When an attacking bid is made unnecessarily high 
it is called a shut-out (or preemptive) bid. Such bids 
must be used with great discretion, and in a way to 
make their meaning as clear as possible to partner. 
A forced bid may be either an attacking or a defensive 
one. The same is true of an inferential bid, and also 
of a take-out bid. 

Supporting (or assisting) bids made at the first op- 
portunity must be regarded as showing the 3 -tricks 
help for partner. Each time a player passes an oppor- 
tunity to support his partner's bid inferentially de- 
ducts I probable trick from this 3 -tricks help. Very 
tardy support may show only possible (instead of 
probable) help, or even a defensive raise which is 
preferred to permitting opponents to play the hand. 

Informatory bids have already been touched upon 
in the preceding chapters, and will be continued in 
the following one. 

Sizing up a hand and proper bidding are more im- 
portant than perfect play of the cards; but both are 
essential to success. A reliable bidding-partner is an 
invaluable asset. 

When considered with opposing bids and the state 
of the score, expert bidders disclose to each other the 
character of the hand held, by the number of tricks 
originally bid, by the shift, by bidding and next pass- 

29 



ing, or by passing and then bidding on the next round, 
by rebidding a suit, by abandoning a suit for partner's, 
by doubHng and redoubling, by silence. 

Strong hands desire assistance. Weak hands try to 
show where and to what extent they can supply it. 
The object is to determine the call at which 13 cards 
plus 13 cards, 26 total, are most effective; to push 
that call to the limit of safety and to abandon it when 
the team will probably make more (or lose less) by 
letting opponents secure the contract. 

Ninety per cent, of all hands require at least two 
bids to do this. Consequently any player who shuts 
out hearing what his partner has to say by making an 
unwarrantedly high opening bid reveals his ignorance 
of the fundamental principles of the game, or else his 
hoggish inclination to play his own call regardless of 
what the joint cards of his side demand. 



INFORMATORY BIDS 

Informatory bids do not seek contracts. They are 
made In the interest of perfect team-work to disclose 
two important facts: that probably more than the 
average 2 -tricks assistance can be given on any declara- 
tion partner may choose; that 2 or more quick tricks, 
with other possibilities, are held against opponents' 
calls and where this strength chiefly lies. This last can 
be much better shown by bidding a suit headed by A-K 
than by a weak no-trumper. A bid of i-Diamond on 
the hand below will be more specific, and it will aver- 
age to produce better results than a bid of i-No Trump, 
although the hand is J- 10 above average. Its irregu- 
larity argues long opposing suits, while its very short 
spades and the low card heading its longest suit will 
make game impossible unless partner's hand is unusual- 
ly good. In the latter case either he has a bid or else 
the other side will encounter too great opposition to 
score heavily. 

Spades, 3; Hearts, Q-J-io; Clubs, 10-8-5-3-2; 
Diamonds, A-K-J-7. 

Owing to its scattered strength, the next hand, which 
is also J-io above average, had better be bid i-No 
Trump. Its uniformity of suit lengths argues no very 
long opposing suit, while it is not so important to 

31 



secure a lead to any particular suit as it was in the 
preceding ^ hand. 

Spades, J-10-7; Hearts, Q-10-3; Clubs, K-J-8; 
Diamonds, A-5-3-2. 

Ordinarily a bid of One shows ''tops.** Effective 
stops to the run of a suit, which at the same time are 
sufficiently high to probably win tricks, are: A, K-Q, 
K-J-io, and Q-J-io. The latter two are called 
*'3-honor suits,** An effective stop on the first or 
second round of a suit is called a top — as A, or both 
K-Q. Tops are, therefore: A-K, A-Q-J, K-Q-J, or 
if the lower honor be removed from the three com- 
binations last given its place must be supplied by tops 
of another suit. Three honors which lack the ace, 
unless containing both king and queen, are generally 
unsuited to head a short suit bid for information. 
Such lower 3 -honor suits count only on long fighting 
suits and in emergencies. The following hand is K-J 
above average, and you would bid i-No Tnrnip if you 
dealt, but if the dealer had bid i-Club you might then 
bid I -Diamond as an encouragement to your partner 
to disclose his best call, although the short diamond 
suit lacks both ace and queen. 

Spades, Q-J-6-3; Hearts, A~K-6; Clubs, 4-2; 
Diamonds, K-J-10-9. 

This is safer and less misinforming than to bid i-No 
Trump over a suit bid when you cannot stop that suit. 
To bid i-Heart would be moi*e apt to lead your partner 
to leave you in than to change the call. It is assumed 
that no player wishes to play a minor suit, provided 
he can play a major call. With 2 suits, neither of 
which you really desire to play, make an informatory 

32 



bid whenever possible in a minor rather than in a 
major suit. With above hand you do not fear a club 
bid going game nor do you expect to go game on your 
own call. You make an informatory or encouraging 
bid, to urge partner to disclose any strength he may 
hold, thus hoping to discover a game call for your 
side. 

There is, however, another method of procedure 
with this hand which will be set forth under ''Forced 
Bids." 

It is difficult at first to grasp all the principles of 
sound team bidding, but their elements are so vital 
that they can scarcely be introduced too soon in the 
study of the game or repeated too often. One bids 
do not request partner not to make another call, and 
he is at liberty to assume either that you want to re- 
main in or that you have better than ordinary assist- 
ance for another call better suited to his hand. If 
you cannot properly assist his call you must then over- 
call him. This makes it incvimbent upon each player 
not to make misleading bids. Hands not worthy of 
advancing a bid, if unable to give partner more than 
"average assistance of 2 tricks, are generally unworthy 
of a bid at all. If you bid One on a heart hand able 
to win only 4 tricks on its own call, but incapable of 
winning more than 2 tricks on all other calls, you have 
bid unwisely, and your partner has a right to take you 
to task for it. But if you bid One on a heart hand 
able to win only 4 tricks if left in, or 3 tricks on any 
other possible call, it does not matter whether your 
partner assumes that you want to be left in and ad- 
vances your bid or whether he takes you out. He has 

33 



no right to criticize your bid. It is true that if he ad- 
vances your bid on his abiHty to take 3 tricks at 
hearts you have jointly contracted to win 8 tricks, 
whereas there are visible only 7 tricks in the two hands. 
Nevertheless, the declarer, through his advantageous 
position of playing both hands, averages to win i trick 
on his play, through finesse, cross-ruff, establishment 
of a long suit, or other scheme of play. Moreover, it 
is always better to go down i trick than to give op- 
ponents an even chance to go game. 

It is not justifiable to bid i-Heart on a hand like 
this. Hearts, K-Q-X-X-X, without outside tricks, 
although you can win the odd 11 in 19 times. In 19 
average hands you would win 11 times at 8 points 
per trick, but you would lose 7 times at 50 (or 100 if 
doubled) points per trick. If the hand were Hearts, 
A-K-X-X, and an outside A-K, the probable trick- 
taking value would be about the same ; but in the first 
case you have nothing worth while to assist your 
partner or to resist an opposing call; in the second 
case you have something substantial in both those 
cases. The general strength of the second hand makes 
it well worth a bid, but the first obligates passing. 

Informatory bids show sure stops and ''quick tricks'' 
(ace or K-Q). Since a partner cannot at once differ- 
entiate between an informatory bid and any other bid 
of One, ordinarily all first-round bids show tops. 
Long low suits are reserved when possible for second- 
round bids. Sometimes a forced bid is made on a 
long suit which lacks both ace and king. But such a 
hand, if really worth only a single bid, must have ample 
compensation in quick tricks outside. 

34 



There are two species of informatory bids: the 
original species of purely informatory bids, which 
merely showed 3 quite certain tricks help for partner 
and the same if left in ; the modern or ordinary inform- 
atory bids, which contain 3 or more probable tricks 
help for partner's call, with better than even chances 
to win the odd if left in, and 2 quick tricks or more 
against opponents* declaration. 

The three most vital features in all the game are: 
to go game on your declaration ; to save game against 
opponents* calls; to retain 3^our partner's implicit 
trust in the soundness of your game. Hence the great 
importance of sound original bids. 

Your partner must never expect to utilize your cards 
for 3 tricks at his own choice of trtimps unless he holds 
at least 5 tnunps, and 6 trumps are better. It is fre- 
quently necessary to exhaust opponents of trumps be- 
fore side strength can be utilized. 

Under the chapter ''Light No-Trumpers" has been 
mentioned that the only purely informatory bid now 
in common use is the ''sketchy" no-tnmiper, although 
this is the most apt of all to remain undisturbed and 
the most dangerous to its bidder. The combined 
chances of shutting out opponents from the bid, and 
its possible reward, prove irresistible to many players. 
When no alternative bid can be made the light no- 
trump bid is to be commended on the same grounds 
that rational use of all informatory bids is advised. 

Figures are dry reading to most people, but you want 
sound reasons to give your partner for any action which 
ordinarily would benefit your side if, in a particular 
case, he blames you because your procedure results in 

35 



disaster. The dealer has 44 in 100 chances to make an 
attacking bid of i-No Trump, or of Two in any suit 
make. Each subsequent player has a full even chance 
to legitimately outbid any call as low as i-Spade. 
Thus a dealer who bids i -Spade has only about i in 
20 chances that no later player has cards warranting 
a higher bid. Every encouraging bid you make in- 
creases your partner's chances to make safe bids. On 
account of its small liability to stand, the probabilities 
show that even a purely informatory bid has, in 100 
chances, 66 for good results against 3 for harm, with 
31 chances for little or no result either way. A suit 
bid which helps 22 times as often as it hurts cannot 
be called either reckless or senseless if it occasionally 
results badly. Moreover, such results will often be 
the fault of the bidder's partner, w^io has neglected to 
seize his opportunity to do something, or who has tried 
to read into the bid something which it did not pro- 
claim. 

Informatory bids in modern garb are even more safe, 
and when wisely used give an expert team an enormous 
advantage over the less proficient. 

A player takes his partner out of a minor bid when- 
ever he can reasonably do so, but he does not ordinarily 
disturb a major call which he can support. This has 
always made minor informatory bids safer than major 
ones. Although more than half the time an adversary 
can safely double a bid made in a very short suit, it 
is not customary to make such a double for fear the 
bidder may escape to another call. But good players 
will not bid strongly against a call unable to win, 
unless they hold cards which stand good chances to 

36 



go game. For these reasons a purely informatory bid 
cannot ordinarily be recommended for major suits nor 
for regular use in very short minor suits. These pre- 
cautions are very necessary to take with strange part- 
ners and those v/ho are not experts at bidding. 

Occasions arise where the logical bid is a weak in- 
formatory one, even in a major suit. Take a case 
where your partner deals and bids i-Club, the next 
player bidding i-Heart, when you hold: 

Spades, A-K-9-6; Hearts, 8-5-3-2; Clubs, 7; 
Diamonds, A-10-S-4. 

With a singleton club you cannot raise your partner's 
bid. You are unable to bid 2-Diamonds, and it is 
unsafe to bid i-No Trump. With a bad score you 
must bid i-Spade, hoping that your partner can either 
support spades, bid no trump, or shift to diamonds. 

Ordinary informatory bids demand a hand probably 
good for 4 tricks if left in, thus giving you slightly 
better than even chances to make the odd. Such a suit 
bid should be on 4 trumps with tops, or at least A-K-Q 
if only 3 trumps are held. There should be a reason- 
ably safe 3-tricks help for partner, with added possi- 
bilities, or the bid would generally be unwarranted. 
There should also be at least 2 quick tricks which can 
probably be made against opponents' calls. 

The following suits, even without outside tricks, are 
now bid inf ormatorially : 

A-K-X-X-X; A-Q-J-X-X; A-K-Q-X; A-K-J-io; 
A-Q-J-io. As also are suits next shown when strength- 
ened by a side A or K-Q ; K-Q-X-X-X; A-K-X-X; 
A-Q-J-X; K-Q-J-X; A-K-Q. Ordinary card dis- 
tributions are assumed to exist in the other 3 hands, 

37 



so that partner will probably hold at least 2 cards of 
your s-card suit, and 3 cards of your 4-card suit. At 
no trump, or whenever he has powerful trumps, it will 
be seen that he can probably utilize hands like 
above for from 3 to 5 tricks. Most of them will yield 
you at least 4 tricks if you are left in. As against op- 
ponent's no-trumpers, they are probably worth from 
3 to 5 tricks, and against trump calls at least a prob- 
able 2 tricks. 

All these combinations meet the requirements of a 
hand suitable for a free bid of One, which must ordi- 
narily be interpreted as: showing tops in suit bid; 
probable ability to win the odd if left in; better than 
average help for any strong call of partner's; at least 
2 quick tricks expected against adversaries' declara- 
tions. 

Any weak hand not fully meeting the above is suited 
only to raise partner's bid, to pass, or for a secondary 
bid. A powerful hand has the ability to continue 
bidding in case its opening bid is obscure. An average 
hand which fails to meet all requirements of a One 
bid may still make either a forced or a secondary bid. 



SUPPORTING BIDS 

Here, as elsewhere, a player must never lose sight of 
the average hand. Your partner counts on you for 
the average 2-tricks help before you bid. You cannot 
raise his bid at the first opportunity unless you can 
give him at least i more trick than he expects to find. 
If you have shown him 3-tricks general assistance by 
an informatory bid, you cannot raise his bid unless 
your hand is probably worth 4 tricks on his call, or 
unless your hand has at least i quick trick outside the 
suit you have bid, with reasonable chances to yield 
over 3 tricks total. 



I. 

2. 
3. 
4. 


Spades 

A-10-7- 

9-6-5 
A-8-3 
10-9-7- 


-2 
■4 


Hearts 
10-6-4 
A-J-2 

7-5-3 
A-K-6 

8-4-3 
9-6-2 


Clubs 

A-9-3 

A-8-4 

J-io-6 

9-5-3 

A-7-6-4-3 

10-8-5 


Diamonds 

A-8-5 

10-6-3-2 

A-K-io-8 

7-4-2 

J-8-7-5-2 

A-K-Q-X 


5- 
6. 


J-6-2 



If you bid i-No Trump on No. i above you cannot 
raise your partner's bid of 2-Hearts, because you have 
in advance of his bid given all the encouragement your 
hand warrants. No. 2 does not justify raising your 
partner's bid of i-Spade at the first opportunity. 
Remember this very important rule: each time a 

39 



player passes an opportunity xo support his partner's 
bid inferentially deducts i probable trick from the 
standard requirement of 3 -tricks help to advance the 
bid. On the second opportunity to support partner's 
I -Spade bid your raise on the 2 quick tricks which 
No. 2 contains shows to your partner the precise situa- 
tion. After your bid of i-Diamond, No. 3 warrants 
an immediate raise of partner's i-Heart bid, because 
the hand has a quick trick outside the suit shown, 
with possibilities of more than the 3 -tricks help indi- 
cated by the original i-Diamond bid. You must 
not allow him to believe that no strength is held out- 
side the diamond suit. After a bid of i-Diamond on 
No. 6 you cannot raise your partner's i-Heart bid, 
because your first bid has told the whole story. There 
is nothing in your hand to prevent opponents winning 
6 immediate tricks in spades and clubs. No. 4 war- 
rants a raise at your first opportunity of partner's 
i-Spade bid, because you hold 2 quick outside tricks 
and 4 trumps, which latter average to be worth i trick 
to your partner. No. 5 justifies raising partner's 
I-Heart bid, since you can count on 2 spade ruffs and 
hold I quick side trick. 

The more closely you follow the rules and probabili- 
ties in ordinary cases the higher your scores will aver- 
age. Under ** Valuing Hands" was shown the proper 
method of calculating the assistance your cards will 
be to partner. For convenience the principal features 
of that chapter, which relate particularly to raising 
partner's bid, are briefly repeated here. On partner's 
trump calls count as tricks each high trump honor. 
Estimate mere length of trumps as worth to him : 4 or 

40 



5 trumps, i trick; 6 or 7 trumps, 2 tricks; 8 trumps, 
3 tricks. Holding at least 3 trumps, count 2 tricks for 
ruffing a void suit, and i trick for a singleton in any- 
side suit. With only 2 trumps count i trick for a void 
suit and none for a singleton. In side suits count an 
ace or a K-Q as a trick; also a guarded king in any 
unbid suit, or a king of a suit bid at its right on the 
first round, but it requires K-Q or K-J-io to be worth 
a probable trick when held, at the bidder's right. 
Q-J-io or Q-J-g count as a probable trick if their 
possessor has 3 or more trumps, or even 2 trumps, in- 
cluding a high honor. 

In general we can say that a hand worth an in- 
formatory bid is suitable for a supporting bid. If such 
a hand falls short of 3 low cards or 2 cards including 
I high honor of partner's suit, an immediate raise of 
his bid is usually unjustifiable. If, however, a partner 
bids unnecessarily high on a suit, or if he repeats a 
suit bid after you pass, he informs you that he wants 
side help chiefly, and you are justified in raising his 
bid on side tricks without regard to your trump 
strength. A hand not worth an informatory bid is 
generally unworthy of a supporting bid, unless high 
honors in your partner's suit, length of trumps held, 
or chances to ruff raise it to the necessary assisting 
value. 

Never change a partner's bid which you can ade- 
quately support except for an excellent reason. Even 
then you must support him unless game is assured on 
your own bid, if he repeats his call or passes his oppor- 
tunity to support yours. 

Just as the general rule is not to bid no trump over 
4 41 



a suit bid unless you have a probable stop to the suit, 
so you should ordinarily refrain from supporting your 
partner^s no-trumper over an adverse subsequent suit 
bid unless you can surely stop that suit. If its only 
bidder plays before you do, a well-guarded king or an 
extra- well-guarded queen may answer; but if he plays 
after you, so that your hand will be led through, a sure 
stop should ordinarily be held. 

If a cautious partner has made his no-trump bid after 
hearing an adverse suit bid, you must assume that the 
suit is safely stopped in his hand. 

If your partner favors very light no-trump bids and 
the next player has bid Two in a suit, you must hold 
both a sure stop to that suit and substantial no-trump 
support in order to bid 2-N0 Trumps. 

With a partner who never bids light no-trumpers, 
and under safe conditions of score, a stop to the adverse 
suit, with a total of 3-tricks assistance, is necessary 
for a supporting bid at no trumps. Under bad score 
conditions the certain stop to the adverse suit bid, 
even if only one other trick is held, is sufficient to war- 
rant an advance. With anything weaker it is best to 
let the original no - trump bidder decide what he 
will do. 

There are possible exceptions to nearly all rules, but 
in the long run it does not pay to carry on partner's 
no-trump bid, no matter how strong your other suits 
may be, if you lack sure stops to an adverse suit, until 
after you have again heard from him. 



OPENING ATTACKING BIDS 

An opening bid is one made by the dealer or, if he 
has passed, it is the initial bid made by the first suc- 
ceeding player who does not pass. It is the first bid 
made on a deal. 

Under ** Attacking Hands" was set forth the strength 
necessary to make an attacking or business bid. The 
minimum is 4 tricks. Opening bids on 4- or 5 -trick 
hands can never be made solely for attacking purposes, 
but must always be made, at least in part, for inform- 
atory or defensive reasons. 

A purely attacking bid is made on a hand possessing 
more than the average strength of 5 tricks on its own 
call, but not exceeding average help for partner's 
calls, as i-Spade bid on the following hand: 

Spades, K-Q-io-8-6-4; Hearts, A-7; Clubs, J-s; 
Diamonds, 9-7-3. 

This hand can probably win 2-odd at spades, 
with average help for partner and other possibilities. 
Owing to the danger that opponents might remove 
the heart ace, the only probable re-entry to the 
hand, it is unwise to asstmie as probable that the 
spades could be established on any call of partner. 
Consequently the bid of i -Spade must be regarded 

43 



as strictly an attacking bid, and the hand has the 
necessary strength to safely show this by advancing 
its bid. 

If you are forced to bid Two on a 5 -trick hand you 
have 546 chances in 1,000 of success, but winning even 
9 points 55 times while losing at least 50 points 45 
times is folly. A suit unsafe to rebid is too weak for 
general use beyond the assistance it contains for 
partner. Bids of Two on 5-trick hands are justified as 
original forced bids, as protective bids to avoid greater 
risks of loss on partner's call, or when the score is 
bad. Two bids on 5-trick hands are for emergency 
and not for habitual use. 

Two-bids on 6-trick hands have 764 in 1,000 chances 
to win, and they are entirely justifiable under any 
score conditions. Eight-trick hands give 886 in 1,000 
chances to win 3 odd tricks or more. As you must 
count on one-third the strength outside your hand 
as lying with partner, it can readily be seen that with- 
out hearing from him you can habitually bid as your 
safe opening limit: Two on 6-trick or 7 -trick hands; 
Four on 8-trick and 9-trick hands; and Five on 10- 
trick hands. The advantage of playing two hands is 
worth considerable, as you know at once what to 
attempt. But since you- ordinarily must estimate 
your tricks, instead of finding them in a solid suit, 
you must not add even i trick because of your advan- 
tageous position. Let the advantage offset your errors 
in trick-counting and you will come out with a profit 
in the long run. 

The above facts have such important relationship to 
properly making high opening bids as to deserve a 

44 



statement of the mathematical probabihties concern- 
ing 7-trick and 8-trick hands. 
When your cards are good for 



7 tricks 


your partner 




can assist with 
trick 




8 


tricks 




71 in 1000 times 


114 


in 1000 


times 


262 


I 




338 








357 " 


2 




352 








228 '' 


3 




162 








71 " 


4 




32 








10 " 


S 




2 








I 


6 















Total 



The 7 -trick table shows that habitually playing such 
hands on opening calls of Three would cause you to 
go down 2 tricks 71 in 1,000 times, and i trick 262 
times in such a series. You would make your bid 667 
times in 1,000, and you would go game from a love 
score at spades or hearts 310 times in 1,000. To go 
down 333 times w^hile you w^ent game 310 times would 
pay well in actual points won if you were forced to 
bid Three on such hands in order to be permitted to 
play them. It is seldom really necessary, and hence 
detrimental to perfect team-work to bid Three whenever 
a chance exists that your joint hands may find a better 
call, or that more revenue may lie in defeating incau- 
tious opponents. 

Four bids on 8-trick hands have 548 chances to go 
game at hearts or spades, with 338 chances to go down 
a single trick, and 114 chances to go down 2 tricks. 
Bids of One on such powerful hands are best whenever 
very great outside strength is held, but your partner's 
chances to have a game hand at such a time are too 
small to require considering them if your hand can 

45 



yield oniy average or slightly better assistance for his 
calls. 

Always try to improve upon averages by minimizing 
risks and take your big chances for gain against op- 
ponents at times when chances to harm partner are as 
small as possible. To open with a 4-bid on the first 
hand below is a far bettei? bid than one on the second 
hand, although the first is only a 7 -trick or perhaps 
8-trick hand, while the second is a 9-trick hand. 



. spades 


Hearts 


Cluhs Diamonds 


Q-J-io-9-7-5-4-3-2 
A-8 


8 
A-K-Q-io-7-4 


6 10-3 
9-3 A-K-7 



The first hand is useless at anything except spades. 
The second hand can assist partner at anything, while 
it is practically impossible for adversaries to hold a 
better hand. The first hand must shut out all adverse 
weak bids tending to convey information, or adver- 
saries may either discover a game declaration between 
them, or they may bid up the spade-holder beyond his 
limit of safety. The second hand is too strong to fear 
what opponents can do, and if they bid rashly huge 
penalties may be garnered. 

Our knowledge of what an average hand can do, 
combined with the probabilities on hands above aver- 
age, give us the basis of a sound practical system for 
bidding attacking hands. 

Always remember that Auction is a game of partners 
and keep the following facts in mind : 

At a love score only about two and one-half per 
cent, of the hands dealt are evidently game hands with 
ordinary help from partner, while an additional seven 

46 



and one-half per cent, can clearly show holdings on a 
single bid. The remaining ninety per cent, require 
at least two bids to assure partner of the best possible 
call for the joint cards of his side. 

Only once in 40 hands has the bidder the right to 
disregard his partner by deliberately shutting him out 
of an opportunity to bid. Therefore unnecessarily 
high bids must only be made to disclose special con- 
ditions to partner. A mere belief that your hand can 
only be profitably played at a specific call is not a 
sound reason for making a shut-out bid. Your hand 
must either mean a probable game, or else a high bid 
must be conventionally made to show specific con- 
ditions. 

Out of every 33 chances that your partner has to 
make a business bid, 27 are on 5-trick hands, 5 are 
on 6-trick hands, and only i is on a hand worth 7 
tricks on his best call. Consequently you stand small 
chances of harming your partner when you shut him 
out on a hand worth a large number of tricks on your 
best call, but which cannot give other calls more than 
average assistance. 

Bid Four on either major suit and bid Five on a 
minor suit probably able to go game. Provided in 
both cases that your general strength is not much in 
excess of average. Otherwise you must recollect that 
you have a partner, and that very heavy penalties 
from doubling opponents are worth more to you than 
scoring a game. 

Strong hands desire information from partner. 
Weak hands should show where they can help. Con- 
sequently the player who opens the bidding has no 

47 



excuse for misleading bids and an expert tries to make 
his initial bid as informatory as possible. Regardless 
of his ability to bid more, he opens with a bid of One 
whenever his cards do not obligate a higher bid and 
for specific reasons. Opening bids indicate as follows : 

i-BiDs: 

These show tops. They inform partner where help 
lies for defense, and assistance for his own calls. They 
may show all the hand can ever bid, or they may be 
light opening guns which give no hint of the power 
behind. They must never deceive partner unless the 
bidder has compensating tops outside the suit bid, 
and ample strength to rectify any error into which 
he may lead partner. You can properly bid i-Spade 
on the first hand below to avoid bidding i-No Trump 
with the singleton ace of clubs, to find out what will 
be bid against you before you decide on your final 
call. If left in, no harm will ordinarily follow. If you 
attempt such procedure on the second hand below, 
you have no such strategic reason, and no power to 
extricate yourself. Therefore that hand must be re- 
served for a secondary bid. 



Spades 


Hearts 


Clubs 


Diamonds 


Q-io-9-7-4-2 
K-J-8-6-5-3 


K-Q-6 

10-5 


A 

A-7-2 


A-Q-Q 
6-4 



One-No Trump bids are very indefinite. They 
neither show the best suit for partner to open defensive- 
ly, nor do they give any hint as to the bidder's total 
strength. Light no-trumpers merely show general help. 

48 



Light no-trump bids on account of their inscrutable 
character are most disconcerting to weak adversaries, 
but they are worth no more than face value in a game 
between strong teams. They are exceedingly danger- 
ous for weak players to try against better ones. An 
expert will usually suffer only slight loss against great 
adverse strength, owing to his cleverness at play. But 
a weak player drops tricks on nearly every hand. 
While this is not so noticeable, except to practised 
eyes, when he plays strong hands, it becomes painfully 
evident when he attempts to play a sketchy no-trumper. 
It is axiomatic that poor players are frequently the 
last to realize their defects. When they commence to 
awaken their first reform should be to stop bidding 
against better players any no-trumper which is not at 
least a king above an average hand. 

2-BiDs: 

These always indicate more than average strength, 
both in trumps and in tricks. They specifically show 
spade hands unable to help heart bids, and vice-versa. 
But they still show tops, or they would be reserved 
for secondary bids. On the first hand below the proper 
bid is 2-Spades, and on the second hand 2-Hearts. 

Spades Hearts Clubs Diamonds 

A-K-Q-J-6 IO-8-4-2 A-Q-5-3 

lo K-Q-J-8-7-4 A-9-6 J-10-7 

The only objects of bidding more than One are to 
show uncommon strength in a suit, so that partner 

49 



can assist wholly on side tricks, and to disclose unusual 
weakness in the other major suit. 

Opening bids of Two in either minor suit are reserved 
to show an established suit good for at least 6 tricks, 
without a probable card of re-entry. This specific 
information may prove invaluable to a partner. For 
example, when partner has only the aces of the other 
3 suits, if he has a club he can go up to 3 -No Trumps, 
but without a club to enter dummy he must let his 
partner^s bid stand. To bid 2-Clubs on the hand 
shown below is to convey accurate information in the 
only possible way: 

Spades, 6-4-3; Hearts, 9-2; Clubs, A-K-Q-J~7~3; 
Diamonds, 8-5. 

This bid of Two should be made on established minor 
suits worth even 7 or 8 tricks, but never on suits worth 
only s tricks. Care must be used that the suit is really 
safely established: 6 or 7 to A-K-Q, and 8 or 9 to 
A-K. On trump calls you can risk 7 to A-K and trust 
that the opposing cards will fall in 2 leads. This is 
unsafe to calculate upon when bidding 3^our suit as 
assistance to partner. In the first instance it will prob- 
ably cost you only i trick if you find it requires 3 
rounds to set the suit; in the second instance it may 
cost you 5 tricks. 

Two-No Trump bids can properly be made on a 
minimum strength of 6 tricks, provided: there is no 
suit which cannot be speedily stopped if the lead comes 
up to it, instead of through it. 

The bid is made unnecessarily high for 2 reasons: 
to prevent an exchange of bids between opponents; 
to disclose to partner the fact that 4 stopped suits 

SO 



are held. This last reason is sometimes of great im- 
portance. The original no-trump bidder at times can- 
not prudently advance his bid unless his partner can 
assist him, and this bid enables partner to continue 
the bidding in a case where he would not dare to do 
so unless he knew in advance that you held a stop to 
this adverse suit. 

Two-No Trumps cannot prudently be bid if more 
than a single suit requires a favorable lead to insure 
stopping it. The bid must not be carelessly used or 
partner will lose confidence if he finds that its bidder 
goes down because one suit is unstopped. 

^-BiDs: 



Show quite unusual hands. They are too high for 
ordinary purposes, and too low to show game hands 
at tnmips. Consequently their best use is to show 
either major or minor suits which can probably yield 
partner only average help or less for his calls, but which 
can probably go game if partner can assist them with 
a little more than average strength. 

Thus major hands good for 7 tricks, if undisturbed, 
or minor hands good for 8 tricks if left in, are suitable 
for such bids whenever they are not worth more than 
2 tricks on other calls. Such bids must not be made 
on suits worth either more or less on their own calls 
than given above. Partner then has only to see if 
he has the needed 3 tricks. By a coincidence the 
Three bid reminds him that you require 3 tricks 
assistance to go game from a love score. If used 
precisely in this way they will occasionally be found 

SI 



extremely useful, and no other primary or secondary 
bid can so well express the exact strength held. On 
either hand given below bid Three. 



Spades 


Hearts 


Clubs Diamonds 


Q-io-9-8-7-6-3-2 


2 


8-5 A-6 


5-4 


A 


A-J-9-8-7-S-3-2 8-4 



You calculate that 2 rounds of spades will clear the 
trump suit of the first hand, leaving 6 trump tricks 
with the outside ace, 7 tricks on a major call. Figur- 
ing on equal distribution of clubs in the other hands, 
it will take only 2 leads to clear trumps in the second 
hand, giving 7 trumps and the outside ace for tricks, 
8 tricks on a minor call. Neither hand is apt to go 
far wrong, even if partner is very weak, but the chance 
of setting either suit if partner goes no trump is small, 
unless partner is so strong that game can be surely 
won at the suit call. The short suit containing the 
re-entry ace is apt to be the first one led. 

Three-No Trumps for an opening bid can rarely be 
properly made. It should, in fact, be reserved for an 
extreme case such as a long-established suit, with a 
sure stop in each of the other suits — a certain game 
hand. If a hand contains enough well-distributed 
tops to go game, without a long-established suit, make 
an opening bid of i-No Tnmip, with an eye to large 
penalties if adversaries become rash. 

4-BiDs: 



An opening bid of Four must indicate a hand prob- 
ably able to go game from a love score with average 

52 



help from partner. This means that such a bid can- 
not ordinarily be made on a hand not probably good 
for 8 tricks on a major call or 9 tricks on a minor call. 
Like these: 

Spades Hearts Clubs Diamonds 

K-Q-J-io-7-5-4 9 A-K 9-5-3 
5 A-Q-J-io-9-7-6-4-3-2 6-4 

The first hand above is undoubtedly worth 8 tricks, 
neither more nor less. As there are only 5 tricks left 
to be won, it may be regarded as doubtful by some 
why the bidder should expect his partner to hold more 
than one-third of them. In reality there are several 
card combinations which will yield the desired 2 tricks. 
In the first hand any one of these will answer : 2 of the 
missing 3 aces; A-K diamonds; A-K hearts; giving 
the declarer one discard provided diamonds are not 
first led. K-Q hearts and either the ace of spades or 
diamonds, still provided diamonds are not first led. 
K-Q-J diamonds. Any ace and three to the Q clubs, 
provided the latter suit happens to be opened. A little 
thought will show ntmierous other possible cards, such 
as A-Q hearts or diamonds, which partner can hold 
and win 2 or 3 tricks, provided a very disadvantageous 
lead does not come. So while there are only 5 out- 
standing tricks to hear from, you may be able to win 
those on any one of a dozen or more combinations 
which partner may hold. 

5-B1DS: 

These are useless to make on a major call unless you 
can actually count 11 tricks in your own hand. On a 

S3 



minor call they can be used either to show a sure game 
from a love score, or that you require only i trick from 
partner to go game. Such hands are very rare, but 
they occasionally occur. 

The dealer and either of the two next players can 
bid informatively, defensively, or aggressively on open- 
ing bid. The player at dealer's right, after 3 players 
have declined to make an opening bid, cannot properly 
make any bid except a strong attacking bid. If he 
has a hand only slightly better than average he had 
better pass for a new deal. His partner has denied a 
sound opening bid. As both opponents have done 
likewise, the fourth player can safely assume that any 
outstanding long suits are held by one player and their 
tops by another. If his own suits are very uneven in 
lengths the same is probably true in other hands; in 
which case there is apt to await him a series of secondary 
bids. He has only one partner, but he has two oppo- 
nents, so these secondary bids are more apt to harm 
than to benefit him. 

An excellent rule to remember is an old Bridge maxim 
— ^when ahead be conservative; when behind is the 
time to venture. If the fourth bidder is well ahead 
on the score he had better pass unless he has a declara- 
tion probably requiring not over 3 -tricks assistance to 
go game. If the score is bad he can venture a hand 
good for 6 tricks, with perhaps more. 

Knowing that the fourth player should not open the 
bidding on ordinary strength causes some players with 
the third chance to bid, after two passes, to act as if 
they were the fourth player. This is incorrect. In 
general the third player should make an opening bid 

54 



just as if he had dealt. The personal bidding char- 
acteristics of the fourth player should modify the 
action of the third player when they are well known. 
If the fourth player is a free bidder, so that he is quite 
likely to make a bid after 3 passes, then the third player 
can well bid on quite a light hand. If, on the contrary, 
the fourth player invariably passes his opportunity to 
open the bidding, unless he holds a probable game hand, 
the third player can pass on anything short of a genu- 
ine attacking hand. 

A ''two-suiter" is a hand containing 2 long suits 
like these: 

Spades Hearts Clubs Diamonds 

1. A-K-io-8-6 K-Q-9-7-4 6-3 J 

2. A-Q-J-8-6 A-K-J-5-2 ic^7-4 

3. A-7 x\-K-Q-6 J-io-9-7-6-4-2 

4. Q-8-6-4-2 J-9-8-5-3 A-K-Q 

If you have a 2-Suiter, like No. i or No. 2, wherein 
the suits are of nearly equal strength, both having tops, 
you make an opening bid in the higher of the suits. If 
you are outbid, and your partner has not shown sup- 
port, you bid Two in the lower. With No. i you open 
with a bid of i-Spade. If an opponent bids i-No 
Trump, or Two in either minor suit, you bid 2-Hearts. 
This *' shift," as it is called, discloses the situation to 
your partner, and is a request for him to indicate his 
preference between the 2 suits you have bid. If your 
last bid comes to him before it has been overbid by 
an opponent, he can indicate even a slight preference 
for spades by bidding Two. His bid does not increase 
your contract. You still have only 2 tricks to make, 

55 



but it advises you to carry on the future bidding in 
spades, instead of in hearts. His pass would indicate 
that, if he has a preference, it is for hearts. 

On No. 3 your opening bid is i-Club, the lower of 
your 2 suits, since you have no need to open this hand 
with a bid on the topless suit. On the next round you 
can bid 2, 3, or even 4-Diamonds. Since you have 
first bid the lower suit, it will be apparent to partner 
that the suits are not equal in all respects, and your 
style of bidding shows him that the higher cards lie in 
the club suit. 

With No. 4 your opening bid is i-Club; your second- 
ary bid is 2-Spades, provided some one else does not 
bid one of your major suits, as is. possible. Should 
some one outbid you with 3-Diamonds you can essay 
a bid of 3-Hearts if the circumstances appear to war- 
rant it. 

Two-suiters are very powerful, but they are fit only 
for secondary bids, regardless of mere lengths, when 
both suits lack tops, or ample compensation in a third 
suit. In the hand below a secondary bid of 2-Spades 
and a tertiary bid of 3-Hearts, if warranted by the 
score, to outbid clubs or diamonds, gives partner cor- 
rect information. 

Spades, J-io-9-6-5-2; Hearts, 10-9-8-6-5-3-2; 
Clubs, ; Diamonds, , 

Expert players in general dislike being tied to arbi- 
trary conventions. Popular conventions are such as 
have properly become a part of the game, because they 
are really the logical bids or plays to make under 
given conditions. 

Any pair of players, thoroughly acquainted with the 

56 



probabilities concerning card distribution, average 
strength for offense, defense, and assistance to partner, 
would soon naturally fall into the habit of making 
the opening bids just set forth. They would soon 
learn to read each other's opening bids almost as well 
as if they had seen the cards. 

The sole conventionality of the bids here detailed 
lies in the fact that they must always be used because 
they are logically sound bids under given conditions. 

Stripped of details which can be acquired by de- 
grees, a player can very readily learn to read the chief 
essentials disclosed by his team-mate's bids as given 
below. Any errors he may make in reading these bids 
his partner will try to rectify at the first opportunity. 

i-BiDs: 



Tops in suit bid. Better than average hand. Bet- 
ter than average help for your own calls. Best suit 
of your partner's to open against adversaries' calls. 

2-BiDS : 

Tops in suit bid. More than average strength. If 
a major bid, shows great weakness in the other major 
suit. If a minor bid, shows an established suit of at 
least 6, with no probable re-entry. 

3-BiDs: 

Show hands needing just 3 -tricks assistance to go 
game from love. Lack of help for other calls. 
5 57 



4-BiDs: 

Show hands requiring only average help to go game 
from love. 

5-BiDs: 



Show II tricks on a major call, or a minor suit 
needing not over i trick to go game from love. 

i-No Trump: 
General help for your calls. 

2-No Trumps: 

At least 6 probable tricks, and all suits stopped 
against leads from the bidder's left. 

3-N0 Trumps: 

A sure stop in all suits, with at least one long set-up 
suit. 



FORCED BIDS 

To interpret bids correctly it is necessary to dis- 
tinguish between free and forced bids. A free bid is 
one made by the dealer, or by another player when 
previous players have made no bid. It includes a bid 
of One over a i-bid in a lower suit, and also any un- 
necessarily high bid. Any bid is, in reality, but not 
necessarily in name, free whenever the only previous 
bids are lower than the normal bid of the hand in 
question. An original bid of 2-Hearts on a hand de- 
manding such an opening bid, made over a previous 
bid of i-Spade, is not influenced by the spade bid, 
but it will be viewed as a forced bid by other players. 
They must judge solely by what they hear bid. 

A forced bid is any bid of more than i trick made 
over a previous bid, unless made unnecessarily high. 
It is then called a ** shout," and is recognizable as a 
free bid. One-Diamond over i-Club is a free bid, 
but 2-Diamonds over i-Heart is called a forced bid, 
even when bid on 7 to A-K-Q without re-entry, al- 
though it would have been bid the same over i-Club 
or a pass. 

You occasionally hear such a bid as i-Spade made 
over a previous bid of i -Heart referred to as a forced 
bid. This is inaccurate and misleading. A legitimate 

59 



first-round bid shows the proper tops or else the neces- 
sary outside quick tricks, whether made by the first 
bidder or over a previous call. The same standard 
applies in both cases, as in the hands shown below. 
One-Spade can be bid on the first and second hands, 
either as an opening bid or over any previous suit 
bid of One. The third hand must be reserved for a 
secondary bid whether the previous player has passed 
or has bid i-Heart. 

Spades Hearts Clubs Diamonds 

1. A--K-J-9-3 6-4-2 A-J-7 10-5 

2. K-J-8-7-4-2 10-8-5 K A-K-8 

3. J-io-9-6-5-3 A-7 A-10-4 9-6 

The last hand demands quick tricks in partner's 
hand to make even a low contract. If partner has 
these the heart - bidder probably cannot go game. 
While if your partner has cards which may yield you 
a game it is improbable that he will be unable to bid. 
In any event you must not deceive him by a first-round 
bid of i-Spade, as your compensating cards are too 
weak to remedy the lack of spade tops. 

All free bids had best be made on the system de- 
tailed under ** Opening Attacking Bids'' (except that a 
stop to an adverse suit which has been bid must be 
held by a no-trump bidder). If you follow that system 
your partner can always correctly interpret your 
shouts. The sole ambiguity in your bids will be when 
your cards demand only a bid sufficiently high to clear 
a previous one. Partner cannot then tell whether 
your normal bid is the one used, or whether you would 
have made a lower bid as dealer. Unless you advance 

6q 



such a call, when adversary raises the opposing bid, 
your partner cannot support you wholly on side 
strength, but raust proceed as detailed under *' Sup- 
porting Bids.'* 

There are really two distinct bidding methods in 
vogue in cases where a player has a hand fully warrant- 
ing an overcall of an adverse bid. To illustrate these 
we will suppose that you hold a hand w^hich you are 
willing to bid as high as 3-Hearts if hard pressed by 
an opponent, but upon which you will bid 2-Hearts 
if you open the bidding. The dealer bids i-Spade and 
your turn conies next. Under the system here recom- 
mended you bid 2-Hearts, which you will later advance 
to 3-Hearts if required. Your partner cannot tell 
whether your hand would have been bid i-Heart or 
2-Hearts had you dealt, and you must advance your 
bid to Three before he will dare to support you solely 
on side strength. This delay is the only disadvan- 
tage of this system. Its advantages are: that had 
your. hand demanded a higher opening bid — one of 3, 
4, or 5 Hearts — your bid could be as easily read as if 
you had dealt; no new system for forced bids has to 
be learned; and you will not so often be defeated 
merely because you have bid a trick more than the 
cards really demand. 

Under the second system you bid 2-Hearts over 
i-Spade only when your opening bid would have been 
One. You bid 3-Hearts on cards demanding an open- 
ing bid of Two. This is very clear, provided your 
partner can carry in his head this amended bidding 
system in addition to the one in use for opening bids. 
Its disadvantages, even then, are: making unnece§- 



sarily high bids, which entail more set-backs; in- 
creased difficulties for partner whenever he must 
change your bid. The first system, which rectifies its 
only defect on the next bidding round, is far more 
easy to remember, safer in practice, and less trouble- 
some when partner must change the call. The first 
system in the long run results in score gains over the 
other one. 

If you declare no trump when holding cards in only 
three suits, there are 2 chances that your partner can 
block the missing suit once to i chance that you will 
lose every trick in that suit. If 3^ou have two or three 
small cards in it, your partner has only about even 
chances to stop that suit. If you bid over two suits 
like the latter, he has only about i in 4 chances to 
stop them both. 

From these facts are deduced the following rules 
regarding bidding no trumps: an opening no-trump 
bid can be made on 3 strong suits, even if the fourth 
is void ; never bid no trumps with 2 strengthless suits 
before hearing from partner; you can bid no trumps 
on 2 good and 2 poor suits if your partner has bid one 
of the latter; do not bid no trumps if an adversary 
has bid a suit to which you hold no stop. 

You often hold an excellent no-trumper concentrated 
into 3 suits, with the fourth suit unstopped. Formerly 
if an opponent bid your unstopped suit you had to 
choose between making a risky no-tnunp bid, a suit 
bid which you disliked, and a pass. Mr. W. C. White- 
head was apparently the first to suggest that a con- 
ventional double of the suit bid would make the situa- 
tion perfectly clear to partner. This solution of the 

62 



problem works out well, provided it is discreetly used. 
If you hold the hand below when an adversary has bid 
i-Spade you double his bid: 

Spades, s; Hearts, K-Q-J-7; Clubs, A-Q-J-8; 
Diamonds, A-K-Q-2. 

The double is a peremptory demand for partner to 
bid: I -No Trump if he holds a safe stop in spades 
and lacks any long suit; to bid even a worthless 
4~card suit if he lacks a spade stop ; to bid his long suit 
in preference to i-No Trump unless he can stop spades 
twice; never to let the double stand unless he can 
defeat the spade bidder. The hand above has excel- 
lent support for any call. The risks from such a 
double are unimportant, but the chances to go game 
are fair. It is an excellent convention to use whenever 
you hold 3 powerful suits, probably worth at least 
6 tricks on any call partner may make. 

To utilize this useful double you must at the same 
time abandon the old double of a low-suit bid, which 
was intended to assure partner that you could take 
care of that suit if he cared to bid. More than one 
meaning must never be attached to a bid or a double. 
This double entirely obviates the old excuse that you 
felt at times obliged to bid no trumps with an adverse 
suit unstopped, on the chance that your partner could 
stop it. 

You can conventionally double an opening bid of 
Two if you hold 7 probable tricks for partner's forced 
responsive bid. With a weaker hand you had better 
be satisfied to save game. It often happens that your 
partner's best suit is the one bid by an opponent, 
without his holding in it a sure stop. It will not pay 

63 



to force bids which cannot almost certainly be made, 
with at least even chances to go game. 

If the opening bid is Three you require remarkable 
side strength to justify forcing partner to bid Four, or 
even Three. Such side strength can almost certainly 
win a large penalty against opponents. Consequently 
a double of Three ordinarily means that you expect to 
defeat the contract. There are many more cases 
where you can defeat so high an opening bid, because 
a part of your strength lies in trumps, than there are 
cases where your great strength lies wholly in the 
other suits. 

Partner must always use his judgment about bidding 
on your double of bids of Two and Three, If he holds 
considerable trump strength and is otherwise very 
weak he can often let the doubled 2-bid stand for 
large returns. On rare occasions he can profitably 
bid a suit over your double of a 3-bid, knowing that 
you will not double it unless your side strength makes 
escape to another call almost impossible. 

It is quite a common thing to have an adverse no- 
trump bid before your chance to make that same bid 
comes. With an established suit it is often best to 
say nothing, if you can make the opening lead. There 
was formerly employed what was known as a *' sucker" 
bid, which consisted of bidding an extremely weak suit, 
with the idea that the no-trump bidder, having that 
suit well stopped, would continue to a point where he 
could be doubled and then defeated by leading against 
him a set-up suit which had not been bid. But such 
gullibility is no longer expected, and other methods 
must be employed. There are cases where it pays tg 

64 



bid 2--N0 Trumps over One, usually where suits are of 
about even lengths, but these cases are rare, unless 
partner has shown some strength by a bid. If partner 
has not bid, especially if he has passed, a bid of 2-N0 
Tnrnips over One can properly be made only on a very 
powerful hand, or on a moderately strong hand when 
it is preferable to go down rather than to permit ad- 
versaries going game and rubber. 

On the first appearance of the nebulous no-trumpers 
Major C. L. Patton devised the counter now in com- 
mon use — a double of the no-trump bid on a strong 
no-trump holding in 3 suits, but having one more or 
less weak suit. This double was a request for partner 
to bid any 5 -card suit he held, or any strong 4-card 
suit; to bid 2-N0 Trumps if he held high cards in 
more than one suit and had no good suit bid, or to 
remain silent if he held only short, weak suits. As 
now commonly played this double demands a bid from 
partner, no matter how weak his hand may be. If the 
suit bid is made the doubler lets it stand if it is one 
of his good suits, but he bids 2-N0 Tnmips if it hap- 
pens, as is frequently the case, to be his weak suit. 

Occasionally an adversary bids One, or possibly 
more, in a suit which you are intending to bid. Even 
if you can defeat him and there is no chance for him 
to escape to another call, it is useless to double for the 
sake of a revenue of less than 300 points if you can 
go game on a call of your own. You must never double 
a pleasing call if escape to another is possible. There- 
fore a double in such a case is almost unknown. The 
only possible things you can ordinarily do are: to bid 
higher in the same suit; to bid another suit or no 

65 



trumps; to pass. To bid higher on a suit named by 
an adversary means one of two things: that you hold 
cards entitHng you to make such an opening bid ; 
that you prefer a small loss to having opponents go 
game. If you have a two-suiter or a no-trumper, you 
can make another call. In this case it is possible 
that your opponent may continue his bidding to a 
point where he can profitably be doubled. If your 
cards warrant no other bid you must pass, but the 
chances that your opponent's bid will stand are very 
slight, since the remaining two players can hold very 
little strength in the suit. 

At times a previous bid discloses the probability that 
the bidder and yourself divide between you practically^ 
all the strong cards, as when the dealer bids i-Heart 
with your cards as follows: 

Spades, J- 10-9-7-6-4-2; Hearts, ; Clubs, 

A-K-Q; Diamonds, A-K-9. 

You have a probable game hand, even if the spade 
tops are against you, and you hold more than the 
necessary compensation for their absence. If you 
wait to make a second-round bid of the spades the 
dealer's bid will probably stand, and it is unwise to 
bid Two in either minor suit, since you may be left 
in. Therefore your proper course is to at once bid 
spades. Keep the rule given below in mind and follow 
it, after hearing an adverse bid, just as if your bid 
opened the contest. 

Regardless of great suit strength, it is better to bid 
One than Two or Three, if you hold also great side 
strength. Your partner may be hopelessly tied to 
another very long suit, or your opponents may bid 

66 



so high as to give you a heavy score on a double. If 
you have a game hand, which is powerless to help or 
resist other calls, your full bid had better be at once 
made. Hearing from partner is especially desirable 
where your best suit is a minor one, as he may be able 
to make a major call. The lessened difficulty of having 
to win 4 instead of 5 tricks is a great consideration. 

Occasions arise where it is unwise to bid even a 
fairly strong all-around hand against an opposing call 
which you can resist. To set opponent is usually better 
than to play your own call for a score falling short of 
game. You bid against a call which you fear will go 
game, and you bid when you see game possibilities. 
The salient points are to go game, to save game, and 
to set opponents. Holding a hand like either of the 
following over a no-trump bidder, you must pass, if 
your partner has done so, or if his turn to bid has not 
yet arrived. 



spades 


Hearts 


Clubs Diamonds 


J-io-6-3 


K-2 


9-4 A-K-Q-J-6 


8-S-4 


A-K-Q-9-7-3 


7542 



If the no-trumper is played, you have the lead and 
can probably save game with either hand. The first 
hand probably requires 4 or 5 tricks, while the second 
needs 4 tricks from partner to go game. It will be 
time enough to bid if either your partner or your 
other opponent changes the call. Having the lead, 
never bid an established suit which is unlikely to go 
game against a no-trumper, when able to defeat it 
by remaining silent. 

You frequently must bid against a no-trump call to 

67 



show your partner a lead on hands on which you would 
pass if you sat in his place. Failure to bid will ordi- 
narily result in another suit being led. It is unhkely 
that partner can save game without your help, as it is 
improbable that he also holds a powerful suit against 
the bidder. If he really does, then your bid may en- 
able your side to go game, although the primary ob- 
ject of your bid is to save game. 

It requires a minimum strength of j tricks on your 
own call, and general strength of 3 tricks, to justify 
showing a lead against a no - trumper. Thus bid 
2-Hearts on No. i shown below, bid 2-Clubs on No. 
2 ; but bid 3-Spades on No. 3, since you need only 
3 -tricks help to go game. 

Spades Hearts Clubs Diamonds 

A-7-3 A-K-9~6-4 8-5-2 J-6 

10-6 8-5-3 K-Q-J-7-4 K-J-io 

A-K-Q-J-9-5-2 7-6-4 9 8-5 

Hands like the following are quite useless to bid, 
because you cannot establish them without partner's 
active co-operation. Such bids often result in his 
failure to lead a good suit of his own which could save 
game. 

Spades Hearts Chibs Diamonds 

J-io-8-7-5-2 A-6 J-7 io~6-3 

Q-7-5-4-2 A-8-4-3 7-5-4-2 

A-Q-6 10-8 ic-7-6-5-4-2 9-8 

Your partner's bid is quite as apt to cause you to 
make a bid as are opponents'. Your objects are, of 

68 



course, to make more or to lose less on your call 
than on his. The latter class of bids will be found 
under ** Defensive Bids''; the former variety are made 
from strength and will be found under *' Changing 
Partner's Call." There is also the unnecessary ad- 
vance of your partner's bid. This last has two species 
which must be clearly distinguished between in making 
your bids. The first case is where your assisting 
strength is so great that you expect game on that call, 
but not on any other. The second is where no other 
likely call so well fits the weakness of your hand. 
Cases where you can assist either his present call or 
another do not demand an unnecessary raise of his 
bid. 

Whenever your partner's bid reaches you without 
opposition from opponents at a time when your help 
is so great as to lead you to expect that a game hand 
exists on his call, but probably not on a changed bid, 
it is well to shut out an unheard opponent, and to fore- 
stall secondary bids by an immediate raise. To show 
that your bid is from great assisting strength you raise 
his bid to the number of tricks he would have originally 
bid had his hand meant a probable game, as detailed 
in the following table: 



Partner's Bid 



I in Minor Suit 



1 in Major Suit 

2 " 

3 /' 

I No-trump 



His Probable 

Strength in 

Tricks 



4 or 5 

6 

8 

4 or 5 

6 

7 

3 or more 



Your Minimum Strength in Tricks 



6, other possibilities 

4, 

3, 

5, 
4. 
3. 

5, perhaps more, 
stop in all suits 



Raise His 

Bid 

to Four 



sure \ Raise His Bid 
/ to Two 



69 



It is unnecessary to raise either a major or a minoi* 
bid of Four, as your partner clearly shows his game 
expectation. It is unwise to thus raise his lower bids 
on great general strength, as he may prefer a changed 
call, especially if his bid is a minor one; there is also 
the possibility of great revenue from doubling an 
adversary's opposing bid. 

It is also unnecessary to raise partner's bid of 2-N0 
Trumps, since he announces that every suit is stopped 
and that he expects to go game if you possess some- 
what better than average help. There is also the 
chance that opponents may lose heavy penalties if 
they venture on opposing bids. 

Never unnecessarily raise partner's i-No Trump bid 
on strong general help of less than 5 tricks, with other 
possibilities. Even then do not do so unless every 
suit is stopped in your own hand. The opening lead will 
go through you, and only A, K-Q, K-J-io, K-J-9-8, 
Q-J-io, Q-J-9, Q-J-8-7, J-10-9-X can safely be 
counted as sure stops. It frequently happens that 
declarer and dummy have a weak suit in common, 
which may ruin chances to go game, or even result in 
a defeated contract. Risks must be run only for use- 
ful purposes, and then only in proportion to probable 
gains. The only object in unnecessarily raising part- 
ner's bid of i-No Trump to Two is to forestall oppo- 
nents' bids and prevent them from showing a suit which 
otherwise will not be led. The risk is senseless in cases 
where they cannot go game, unless you can surely 
block all leads. 

Whenever your partner's bid discloses the most likely 
suit call at which you can give him average assistance, 

70 



you unnecessarily raise his bid of One or Two by i 
trick. This is equivalent to telling him: *' Partner, I 
have a poor hand, containing scarcely an honest raise. 
I give you that now and cannot possibly do any more." 
On the hand shown below you would raise partner's 
spade bid on No. i and his club bid on No. 2 if the 
next player to him passes: 



Spades 


Hearts 


Clubs 


Diamonds 


K-7-4-3 


9-6-2 


J-7-5 


10-8-2 


9-5 


7-4 


10-9-6-4-3-2 


J-9-4 



Such additions to partner's bids are species of forced 
bids, since they are bids which are made owing to his 
bids, but which would not be made as opening bids. 



CHANGING PARTNER'S CALL 

You must pause after hearing your partner's bid, to 
take in its significance. Then consider whether you 
have a real reason to advance it or to change it. Under 
*' Forced Bids" were shown reasons for advancing his 
bid, whether or not an adversary's bid had intervened. 
Under ''Defensive Bids'' will be found rules for taking 
partner out from weakness. You also change his call 
from strength, regardless of your ability to adequately 
support him, or of your intention to support his bid 
if he fails to support yours. The best final call is most 
accurately determined by each partner's clear exposure 
of his holdings. 

Free and forced bids occur in the case of bidding 
over partner, just as they do in bidding over an op- 
ponent. Take the following hands: 

Spades Hearts Clubs Diamonds 

1. A-K-Q-8-4 9-5-2 A-7 10-8-4 

2. 6 A-K-Q-9-5 ■ J-8-3 9-7-3-2 

3. J A-Q-J-io-8-6-4 A-9-6 5-4 

4. 5 K-Q-J-8-7-5 8-5-4 A-J-6 

5. 10-9-6 A-Q-J-io-9-6-4 Q 8-5 

You bid i-Spade over partner's i-Diamond or 
i-Club on No. I to show him your higher call, to en- 

72 



courage him to bid no trump, to allow him a second- 
ary suit bid, to show him where your best defense lies, 
to intimidate opponents. In short, to fully post him 
as to your share of joint possibilities, in an attempt to 
declare and play your total 26 cards to the best possible 
advantage. If he bids i-Heart your overcall of 
I -Spade is still a free bid, which does not at all deny 
help for his call, but merely informs him that you 
have a real i-Spade bid. If his bid is i-No Trump 
your bid of 2-Spades is a forced one, and is therefore 
ambiguous. In this case it states that you have a 
sound opening bid of i-Spade, and consequently re- 
gard that call as safer than his no tnmip. 

Two-hearts on hand No. 2 is another ambiguous 
forced bid over partner's i-Spade. It does not make 
clear that you particularly want to play the hand at 
hearts, as your bid of 3-Hearts on No. 3 over his i-Spade 
does. Your 2-Heart bid may mean an original 2-Heart 
bid, such as you have on hand No. 4, or it may show 
a hand like No. 5, on which you would open with a 
bid of i-Heart, but which warrants a higher bid. In 
reality the 2-Heart bid on No. 2 is meant to warn 
him of your shortness in spades. 

Partner's free bid over your own merely announces 
his holding cards worth his bid. Partner's forced bid 
over your own states that circtimstances make him 
feel it desirable to offer to play the call he announces, 
and requests that you do not advance your bid unless 
your suit has both length and strength. 

Some players do not bid great suit strength over 
partner's no trump, on the ground that the hand is 
too strong. It is unfair to deprive partner of playing 

^ 73 



a hand if certain that his results will equal your own, 
but no-trumpers are uncertain, and a single weak suit 
may prevent game. It is therefore prudent to make a 
major call over partner's no-trump bid on cards 
strongly demanding such a bid, had you dealt. Thus 
bid 2-Spades on the first hand following as a forced 
take-out over partner's i-No Trump bid, or 3-Spades 
as a free bid under similar circumstances on the second 
hand. 

Spades Hearts Clubs Diamonds 

K-Q-J-io-6 -A-Q-Q 10-8-5-2 4 
A-Q-J-9-8-5-2 A-J-4 7-6-3 

The next hand below has its strength too scattered 
to be worth an original i- Heart bid, therefore you 
cannot bid it from strength over i-No Trump. But 
its strength is well distributed to aid partner's no- 
trumper. 

Spades, 8-2; Hearts, K-io-9-6-3; Clubs, A-J-8; 
Diamonds, K-7-5. 

A major call is obviously more likely to go game 
from love than a minor one. A spade or heart declara- 
tion able to go game, or apt to win as many tricks as 
a no-trumper which cannot go game, is preferable to 
the no-trumper, because it is safer. At a score when 
either of two or more calls requires the same nimiber 
of tricks to go game, such calls are regarded as equals. 

Bear in mind these vital conclusions: that partner's 
no-trump bid over your spade or heart bid specifically 
denies strength in your suit; partner's spade or heart 
bid over your no trump seeks greater safety; his dia- 
mond or club bid against your major call, unless the 

74 



score shows a reason, is a distinct warning for you to 
abandon your call if you require his help to make your 
bid. When made to the score a minor take-out of 
your major call quite likely is done merely for safety 
with a hand able to go game on the changed call. 
Any major call over your minor one indicates strength. 
Partner's bid against you may be made from strength 
or because of weakness at your call. It is always to 
convey information. Partner*s bid cannot be from 
weakness if an intervening bid has come, as his pass 
over opponent's bid would be sufficient disclosure of 
lack of support for your call. Unless your hand is 
sufficiently strong to warrant advancing your own bid, 
you must assume that his take-out is made to show 
lack of support. If his bid is overcalled, you had then 
better help his bid if your cards warrant it. If you 
are unable to support him, and he cannot advance his 
own bid he will then advance yours if he is able to 
do so. 



SECONDARY BIDS 

A secondary bid is one made on the second round of 
bids, either after having passed on the first round or 
after having made a different primary bid. 

The general rule of primary bids to show tops, and 
secondary bids to show length, is an excellent one. 
Thus, when a player makes a low bid on the first round, 
if he passes the opportunity to slightly advance his 
suit bid on the next round, you infer that his suit is 
short, with tops. But you credit his suit with both 
strength and length when he advances his primary 
bid without waiting to hear from his partner, or if 
this is done over his partner's bid of something else. 
In similar fashion you must assimie that a secondary 
bidder's suit lacks tops and proper compensations in 
quick side tricks. 

This method of bidding a long topless suit has super- 
seded former ones which allowed it to be bid on the 
first round, provided it was very long. The definite 
information conveyed by this modem method more 
than offsets an occasional loss incurred through failure 
to show such a suit at the only possible opportunity. 

Secondary bids are powerful weapons if skilfully 
employed and properly interpreted by partner. Like 
all bids which are made only high enough to clear ob- 

76 



structing bids, on occasions a secondary bid is am- 
biguous, as illustrated below. 

For example, a player with a clear bidding field 
passes on the first round, but he bids a suit on the 
next round. It is evident that his suit lacks tops and 
compensation. But it is not always apparent whether 
he has a powerful secondary bid or bids defensively. 
No. I below shows a strong hand v/hich must be bid 
for attack, over partner or opponent. No. 2 is a 
hand containing a sound 2-Heart bid over partner's 
i-No Trump, but it is stretching it to full capacity 
to bid this hand against opponents if partner has 
made no bid. No. 3 has a purely defensive bid 
against partner's call of i-Spade, but it has not proper 
strength to overbid an opponent unless partner has 
already bid something. No. 4 has no possible bid ex- 
cept a warning one of 2-Heart s over partner's i-No 
Trump, hoping to lose less on the suit than he probably 
will at no trumps. 

Spades Hearts Clubs Diamonds 

1. Q-10-9-7H5-4-2 A-6-3 J-8-5 

2. 8-5 K-Q-9-8-5-2 10-7-4 0-6 

3. 3 7-6-4 J-9-8-6-5-3-2 7-4 

4. J-6 10-8-7-5-3-2 10-6 8-5-3 

It is dangerous to at once definitely assume that one 
of several possible reasons is the real one. The third 
bidding round silences players who have bid as a 
warning of weakness, but those who bid offensively 
will continue to do so as long as is expedient. 

When a player makes different calls for his primary 

77. 



and secondary bids there is usually little ambiguity 
as to his holding. 

A player^s primary suit bid, followed by his suit shift 
on the second round, clearly shows a two-suiter. If 
his primary bid is in a lower suit than his secondary 
bid, it is to show his tops first; otherwise he would 
bid the higher of his suits first. In the hands below 
No. I would be bid i-Club, followed by a secondary 
bid in hearts; No. 2 would be bid i-Heart, followed 
by a secondary bid in clubs; while No. 3 would be bid 
i-Spade, followed by a heart bid: 

Spades Hearts Clubs Diamonds 

1. 8-5 K-J-io-7-4 A-K-J-9-6 A 

2. K-Q K-Q-J-6-3 Q-J-8-7-5-2 — 

3. A-Q-J-9-2 A-K-J-8-6 4 9-6 

Two-suiters are powerful holdings, but they are un- 
fit for primary bids when both suits are lacking in 
tops and compensation. No. i below is sufficiently 
compensated to bid i -Heart as dealer and then to show 
the spades secondarily, but No. 2 must be reserved 
for a secondary bid of 2-Spades and a tertiary bid of 
diamonds. 

Spades Hearts Clubs Diamonds 

I. J-io-9-6-5-2 K-J-8-7-3 A-K 



2. Q-J-io-8-4-3 Q-J-9-7-6-4-3 

If partner had already bid, No. 2 could be bid pri- 
marily over his call as a take-out. It would be, more- 
over, dangerous to wait for a second round, as adver- 
saries might have no bid to make, 

78 



A primary bid of i-No Trump followed by a second- 
ary suit bid indicates doubtful ability to successfully 
combat opponents' suit at no trumps. It may, how- 
ever, come from great weakness in another suit which 
he fears may defeat him if he continues the no trump. 

Your partner sometimes opens with a minor suit bid 
which he changes to no trumps after he hears your bid. 
This may be due to either of two quite different rea- 
sons, although in both cases you bid a suit in which 
he is short. In one case he opens with i-Club or 
I -Diamond on a very powerful suit, attended by two 
other short suits having tops. This bid is purely 
tactical, since he can go game at no trump if 3^ou bid 
his weak suit, but he may even be set if he bids no 
trump when an adversary holds it. If an adversary 
bids your partner's weak suit the latter can either 
continue bidding his opening suit or defeat rash op- 
ponents who bid too high against him. In the other 
case mentioned above your partner bids a suit in pref- 
erence to I -No Trump on a much weaker hand than 
in the first case. If you then bid his weakest suit 
he only bids i-No Trump to warn you of that fact, 
because his suit is too weak to continue bidding it. 
He deems no trumps more safe than your call unless 
you are strong enough to outbid his warning no trump. 

It is desirable to shut out these illuminating sec- 
ondary bids whenever your hand warrants such a 
course. A very high bid which you would unquestion- 
ably make as first bidder is still more needed as fourth 
bidder after 3 players have passed. This latter position 
is of all places the worst in which to bid a hand only 
slightly above average. In earlier bids you are forced 

79 



to do so for partner's information, and to show your 
best defensive suit. After all other players have passed 
your best defense is to do likewise. When a player is 
taken to task because his weak bid in this position 
permitted opponents either to go game on a vSecondary 
bid or to penalize him because he took a senseless 
risk, you frequently hear the silly excuse: *' Partner, 
we only needed one trick to go game." Because a 
single trick will win game is all the stronger reason 
why opponents will not let the weak bid stand. 

Unless circumstances warrant taking an otherwise 
foolish risk, no hand which needs much above average 
assistance to go game from love (disregard the fact 
that there is already a score) should be bid after 3 
passes. 

Even if 3^ou are behind on the score and thus feel 
warranted in taking risks, the weakest hand fit to bid 
in this position is one of 6 tricks. Ordinarily 7 prob- 
able tricks is as weak as it pays to bid when your pass 
insures you a new deal and immunity from the chance 
of deadly secondary bids. 



COMPENSATED SUITS 

A compensated suit is one accompanied by sufficient 
quick outside tricks to amend its own lack of proper 
primary bidding tops. 

For convenience are repeated below the card com- 
binations suitable for informatory primary bids: 
A-K-X-X-X; A-Q-J-X-X; A-K-Q-X; x\-K-J-io; 
A-Q-J-io; even without an outside trick. Also the 
following if accompanied by a quick side trick: 
K-Q-X-X-X; A-K-X-X; A-Q-J-X; K-Q-J-X; 
A-K-Q. This last suit is too short to be bid except 
for purely informatory purposes unless supported by 
an outside trick. More detailed information concern- 
ing such suits was given under ''Informatory Bids.'* 
Such combinations, unless more strongly supported 
than noted above, are not bid in expectation of ob- 
taining a contract, but only to show help for partner's 
calls, and to show defensive leads. 

Compensated suits must always be bid with the 
idea that you will be left in. You do not want this 
to happen if it is possible to find a better call for your 
joint 26 cards. The majority of players have very 
little knowledge as to what constitutes proper com- 
pensation to entitle a topless suit to a primary attack- 
ing bid. Yet this is an extremely important subject, 

8i ^ 



Ordinarily a topless suit, no matter how long it may 
be, must be reserved for a secondary bid, or a take-out 
of partner's bid. With a two-suiter consisting of a 
long, topless major suit and a minor suit having tops, 
you ordinarily bid the lower suit primarily, and reserve 
the higher suit for a secondary bid. 

Two cases are found where compensated suits must 
be primarily bid. The first case is that of a topless 
suit accompanied by so many outside quick tricks 
that the deal will probably be abandoned unless you 
make a bid, and you bid your most powerful suit 
because you fear to be left in if you first make a 
weaker and more conventional opening bid. The 
second case is where a previous player has bid and 
you infer that his quick tricks added to your own are 
not apt to leave the other players a primary bid. 

To accurately determine when a topless suit is proper 
to be bid primarily, we must resort to the dry subject 
of mathematical probabilities. Six tricks are usually 
won by trtimps, and only 7 tricks are ordinarily taken 
by the 3 outside suits. The quick tricks recognizable 
by 4 players who examine only their own hands aver- 
age to be 6, or an average of ij^a quick tricks to a suit — 
all are aces, or kings combined with their aces or 
queens. It is unsafe to calculate that A-K-Q is worth 
3 quick tricks, since precisely even chances exist 
whether a suit of 3 cards can or cannot be ruffed on 
the third round. There can be visible as many as 
8 quick tricks or as few as 4, depending on the number 
of kings falling in the same hand with their aces or 
queens. A-Q-J count as 2 probable tricks, for de- 
clarer's side in particular, but they must not be re- 

8? 



garded as 2 quick tricks. Restrict the use of this 
term to cases where only a rujff can prevent card com- 
binations from winning. Tenaces are too uncertain to 
be called quick tricks. 

If your hand contains 3 of these 6 quick tricks, they 
must be divided among either 2 or 3 suits. The prob- 
able remaining 3 quick tricks may be distributed in 
any manner among the other 3 players. The probabili- 
ties are: in 100 chances, 24 that they are distributed 

1 to each player, 67 that one player holds 2 tricks, and 
9 that one player has all 3 of them. Only 24 times in 
100 are all the remaining players without a sound 
primary bid, because each holds only i quick trick. 
But 76 times in 100 you w411 find another player holding 

2 or 3 quick tricks, and usually having a sound primary 
bid. Therefore 3"0u can safely calculate upon a pri- 
mary bid being made by another player when yotir hand 
contains not over 3 quick tricks, whether you pass, or 
make a minor call to show your tops, with the inten- 
tion of utilizing a long topless suit for a secondary 
bid. 

It is quite another matter when you hold 4 quick 
tricks, because the chances that another player can 
make a sound primary bid are to the chances that the 
deal will pass unless you bid as 31 is to 69. 

A player cannot make an opening bid on a topless 
suit accompanied by only 3 quick side tricks merely 
on the flimsy excuse that he has so much side stuff 
that the deal w411 otherwise pass. Under such cir- 
cumstances 3 out of 4 times, on an average, another 
player can properly make a bid. On the contrary, a 
player must bid a very long topless suit if it is sup- 

83 



ported by 4 quick tricks, because on an average of 7 
in ID times the deal will otherwise be passed. 

On the hands shown below you had best make your 
bids as follows: 

No. I. Make an opening bid of i-Club on this hand. It is 
too unbalanced to make a good no-trumper, and you do not 
hold sufficient tops to fear that no opposing bid will be 
made. If deemed wise you can show the heart suit by a 
secondary bid. If some one else deal and bid i-Diamond, 
you can then bid i-Heart on the first round. 

No. 2. This is an ordinary two-suiter which must be opened 
with a primary bid of i-Spade, followed by a secondary 
diamond bid, if an opposing bid does not find your partner 
supporting your first bid. 

No. 3 . As dealer you may pass on this unbalanced hand and 
trust to a secondary bid to show your spades. They drop 
too rapidly from king to 6 to make a good trum.p suit. As 
second bidder you can immediately bid i-Spade over i-Heart 
or i-Diamond. 

No. 4. Bid i-Spade as dealer or first bidder. 

No. 5. This is so heavily compensated as to demand a 
primary bid of i-Heart. 

No. 6. You must bid i-Spade on this hand as the re- 
maining players have poor chances to have a legitimate 
opening bid. 

No. 7. As dealer bid i-Heart on this hand. 





Spades 


Hearts 


Clubs Diamonds 


I. 


A 


Q-9-8-6-2 


A-K-9-6 7-5-4 


2. 


K-Q-7-5-3 


A-7 


8 A-Q-io-6-4 


3- 


K-6-S-4-2 


A 


A-K-8 7-5-3-2 


4- 


K-J-9-8-5 


8-4 


A-9-7 A-K- 10 


5- 


A 


Q-J-6-S-3 


A-K-6-3 K-Q-J 


6 


10-9-7-6-S-3 


A-K 


K-6 A-K-io 


7' 


A-K-4 


J-io-9-7-6-3 
84 


K-Q-8 6 



If a previous player makes the opening bid, at a time 
when you hold 3 quick tricks, 3^ou must realize that his 
bid will probably stand unless you change it, because 
you and this bidder hold so many quick tricks that 
neither of the remaining players is apt to have a sound 
primary bid in his hand. If you pass, the bidder's 
partner may make a defensive take-out, or your part- 
ner may possibly make a desperation bid, but more than 
even chances exist that you will have no opportunity 
to make a secondary bid. If your long suit lacks the 
3 top honors it may be safest to make a minor bid 
over his minor bid, provided you have a good one 
to make. Under other circtmistances you may feel 
obliged to bid a topless suit, provided it is probably 
good for at least 3 tricks as trump. 

On the hands shown below bid as follows: 

1. Bid i-Diamond over a previous i-Club bid, instead of 
at once bidding i -Heart. This makes your holding clearer 
to partner. 

2. Bid i-Spade over opponent's i-Heart call. 

3. Either i-Heart or i-Club can very properly be bid 
on this hand. 

Spades Hearts Clubs Diamonds 

1. A-6 J-io-7-5-4-2 A-K-J-8-6 

2. 10-9-8-6-4-3 A-8 A-K 7-5-4 

3. A-7 K-io-9-6-3 A-K-J-10-3 Q 

The great advantage of bidding a suit having tops 
is that your partner opens that suit against an opposing 
call, and you often save game before the declarer can 
prevent ruffs or discard in ways to kill your suit. A 
trick or two is so frequently lost by partner's failure 

85 



to open your best defensive suit that it requires at 
least I trick compensation to bid a topless suit in 
place of bidding an equally long suit with tops. To 
bid on a suit like this, A-K-i 0-6-3, without ^ side trick, 
frequently results in your winning 3 immediate tricks 
against opponents; 2 tricks with ace and king, with a 
third trick by partner's ruflf. Or by partner's jack 
coming through diunmy's three to a queen and pick- 
ing it up. A suit A-io-9-6-3, with a side ace, con- 
sidered in all possible ways, is not as good as the 
suit shown above. Nor is K-8-6-S-2, with a side 
A-K, the full equivalent of K-Q-8-6-5 with a side 
ace. In fact, it ordinarily requires 2 quick side 
tricks to fully compensate for the absence of the 
usual second quick trick in a bidden suit, and 3 quick 
tricks to atone for inability to take even a single 
quick trick in that suit. 

Few players fully realize that an opponent may be 
able to draw 2 trumps out of your topless suit for every 
one you can make him play. Take the following 
hand, for example: 

Spades, J-io-9-6-5-4; Hearts, A-K-6; Clubs, 
A-K-io; Diamonds, 8. 

An opponent with 4 trumps and all your high spade 
honors can by means of a long, established diamond 
suit make you use 2 trumps — one to ruff and the other 
to lead in an attempt to pull his trumps — for each 
trump he is forced to play. This will result in leaving 
him with the long trtrnip and the remainder of his dia- 
mond suit to run off. You may be able to win only 4 
tricks against him; yet the illustrative hand averages 
to be worth 7 tricks. Although we bid on probabili- 

86 



ties, not on possibilities, it shows how dangerous the 
lack of top trumps may prove to be. 

To make perfectly clear what is to follow concern- 
ing bids on compensated suits, the probabilities given 
below must be understood. A 5-card suit consisting 
of the lowest possible ones, 6-5-4-3-2, will average to 
win 2 tricks 32 times in 100, and i trick 81 in 100 times. 
If, instead of being the lowest possible 5 cards, they 
come at random from 2 up to the jack, but not higher, 
54 times out of 100 you will win two tricks with them, 
either because neither adversary holds more than three 
trumps or because his last tnunp is outranked by yours. 

A sound tnmip call means probable ability to win 
at least 3 trump tricks. A 5-card suit headed by ace, 
king, or queen meets this requirement, provided that you 
also hold either the jack or 10-9. A 6-card trump suit 
will average to win 3 tricks even if it consists of the 
six lowest cards. No suit below these minima set for 
5-card and 6-card suits can be utilized for trump calls, 
and only under proper conditions can such suits be 
bid at all. 

Five to Q-10-9 or six cards to jack ordinarily require 
3 quick side tricks to make the suit worth bidding. 
Even then it may often be better to utilize them for 
a secondary bid if another suit is available for a more 
conventional primary bid. Such compensated suits 
can always be bid over a previous bid by opponents. 
In desperate situations bids can be risked on these 
suits with only 2 quick side tricks. 

Since it is as unfair to partner to fail to disclose 
unusual strength as it is to bid without reason, it fol- 
lows that a compensated suit makes an opening bid 

87 



obligatory when you can count in your hand 7 prob- 
able tricks, with at least 3 tricks in your long suit. 
Whether you had better primarily bid another suit, 
no trump, or your long compensated suit, must depend 
upon the composition of your hand. Six probable 
tricks give excellent grounds for a bid, but 7 probable 
tricks demand one. If another player bids before 
you do, it may happen that he bids a suit wherein you 
are so strong that you pass the first round, and govern 
your later actions by what follows. 



DEFENSIVE BIDS 

A defensive or protective bid is one made to save 
points. Its bidder does not necessarily desire a con- 
tract, but he bids to enlighten partner; to bluff an 
adversary into an overbid; to show partner the best 
lead to defeat opponents or to save game; to suffer a 
small loss as declarer in preference to allowing adver- 
saries to win the game; to try and strike a call which 
partner can support. 

Defensive bidding is an extremely important branch 
of the game, and one which enables experts to mini- 
mize the value of stronger hands if held by weaker 
opponents. The majority of players are so anxious 
to bid and so loath to stop, that much useful informa- 
tion can be conveyed to partner by bidding hands 
which probably cannot fulfil their contracts if left in. 
Gauging correctly the amount of bluff and overbid 
which a particular opposing pair will stand is very 
necessary, or their doubles of your over-high bids may 
result in disaster to you. Bluff or boosting bids 
against reckless bidders can sometimes be carried to a 
point where opponents cannot make their contracts. 
But a team of sound bidders can so rarely be bluffed 
into an overbid to exceed i trick, and the booster is 

7 89 



so frequently doubled, that his tactics are losing ones 
unless employed against players of his own caliber. 

Flag-flying, or overbidding to deliberately suffer a 
loss in preference to permitting opponents to go game, 
is another feature of defensive tactics which requires 
sound judgment to make pay. You can always afford 
to suffer a loss not exceeding 150 points rather than 
allow opponents to go game. Setting opponents for 
even 100 points averages to be worth more to you than 
playing a hand which fails to go game. If a choice 
lies between playing a hand which probably cannot 
go game and letting opponents play a similar hand, 
you had better do so if sure of a sm_all score, but not 
certain to set them, and you had better let them do 
it if you are not certain of making your contract, or 
if you believe that they cannot make theirs. The 
amount you can venture to overbid your hand very 
largely depends upon who your opponents are. If 
they are very slow to double, you can venture to over- 
bid a possible 3 tricks to save game, but the extreme 
limit must be 2 tricks against players who are quick 
to double any such desperation bids. 

A speculative bid is an overbid of the cards held, 
trusting that partner can sufficiently support the call 
to avert disaster. This is a species of desperation bid 
which is most commonly employed in two situations. 
The first of these is when a previous player makes a 
shut-out bid at a time when you hold strong cards 
which require more than average help to fulfil your 
contract if you outbid him. The second case is when 
an opponent has outbid your partner, and you read in 
your partner's bid more help than it averages to afford 

90 



the call which you make. This is most frequently 
done when partner has bid no trump, which announces 
general assistance. The speculative bid aims to strike 
a strong suit in his hand. Partner's free bid usually 
indicates 3 probable tricks on your calls, and your 
bid becomes speculative if you gamble upon finding 
over that nimiber. How many tricks you can properly 
gamble is regulated by the same rules which govern 
all flag-flying : the reliability of the preceding bids, the 
chances that opponents can go game, your chances of 
defeating their contract, the ability of your contract 
to go game if it succeeds, and the likelihood that op- 
ponents will double 3^ou or that they can be boosted 
beyond their limit of safety. 

Anticipatory, showing-a-lead, and informatory bids 
are nearly synon3ntnous terms which are used by dif- 
ferent circles of players. These were discussed under 
''Informatory Bids." 

All the foregoing varieties of bid having more or less 
of a defensive character have already been taken up 
in earlier chapters. Under ''Changing Partner's Call" 
rules w^ere given for making strong take-out bids over 
partner's calls. To obviate the necessity of turning 
back to that chapter a brief simimary is given below 
of the most common rules governing strong take-out 
bids. 

If your partner bids i-Spade, and your bidding turn 
comes with a hand unable to assist him to the extent 
of two tricks, a take-out bid of Two should be made 
in a lower suit if your hand is worth 5 sure tricks at 
hearts, diamonds, or clubs. The same is true even if 
you can assist your partner to the extent of the usual 

91 



two probable tricks, but hold only a singleton of his suit 
or none. In this case it is likely that one opponent 
holds as many as your partner of his suit. If he is 
especially strong he can bid Two over your warning 
bid. 

Take-out bids show partner the true situation, since 
you will not bid this way on a lower suit than he has 
unless you can probably make your contract, but can- 
not help his contract by 2 tricks, or unless you are 
very short in his suit, so that your bid is apt to turn 
out better than his bid. You bid Three or Four over 
his higher suit to disclose a hand worth such an open- 
ing bid. 

If short in your partner's suit but strong in the other 
three suits, you can bid i-No Trump when lacking a 
safer suit bid. 

With your strength massed in a single suit which has 
over 5 cards you can bid Three instead of Two (on 
ability to win 6 tricks) over your partner's no trump, 
especially when you hold 4 heart or spade honors, and 
consequently desire the high honor score. Unless your 
partner holds *'ioo aces" he should never disregard 
your take-out bid of Three. At love score you should 
be able to win 8 tricks to make properly such a bid for 
club or diamond honor score. 

There remains only the purely protective bid; a 
suit bid over partner's call, at a time when the inter- 
vening player has passed, with no prospect of fulfilling 
your contract, but merely in an attempt to lose less 
than partner's call will probably lose. Such a protec- 
tive bid may be justified either because a player cannot 
assist his partner to the extent of the ustial 2 tricks, 

92 



or because he has fewer of his partner's suit than the 
expected 2 or 3 cards, or because of both shortages. 
He is then weak at partner's call. Unless he has a 
strong call of his own he must see if he can legitimately 
make a protective bid. 

Partner's trump call probably makes his cards worth 
2 tricks more than on your changed call. If your cards 
are worth 3 tricks more on a higher suit call than on 
his, or 4 tricks more on a lower suit call, you must bid, 
when you cannot properly support him. 

Your weakness and opponent's passing your partner's 
call make it appear likely that your partner's hand is 
above the average strength expected from his call. It 
is possible that this pass shows satisfaction at partner's 
bid. But the results, if you bid on cards weaker than 
those indorsed above, are too problematical to warrant 
you in doing so. 

Suppose that you hold the hands given below, at 
times when your partner has bid i-Heart and the next 
player has passed. What must you do in each case? 

Spades Hearts Clubs Diamonds 

1. Q-J-8-7-3-2 8-6-4 A-K-9 10 

2. J-9-8-6-5-4 10-7-4 A-K-8-6 

3. 10-7 10-7-5-2 Q-J-9-8-6-3 J 

4. J-io-5-3 ■ — 7-4 j-9_8-7-5-3-2 

5. 8-6-4 6 J-9-8-7-5-3 10-9-4 

6. J-9-8-7-5-3 6 8-6-4 10-9-4 

Reserve No. i for a secondary bid of spades. Your 
hand has both average trump length and 2 quick 
tricks at partner's call. It is not sufficiently com- 
pensated to warrant a primary bid of spades, and no 

93 



protective bid is necessary. Bid i-Spade on No. 2 as 
a warning that you lack average length in his suit. 
You must pass with No. 3 since 4 of his suit are apt 
to save him a trick, and you can ruflf diamonds, also 
spades if partner has more than two of them. No. 4 
demands a take-out bid of 2-Diamonds. The hand 
is worth 4 or 5 more tricks at that call than at hearts, 
and it has neither side tricks nor hearts to help partner. 
No. 5 had better be passed, as the results of your bid- 
ding 2-Clubs are very uncertain. No. 6 must be 
risked at a bid of i-Spade. The difference between 
venturing a bid of One on this hand and Two on the 
previous hand makes it worth while to bid the spades. 
Since the advent of informatory no-trump bids, 
many writers and players have advocated various 
schemes of bid and take-out, as set forth under ''Light 
No-Trumpers.'* The futility of some of these is also 
shown in that chapter. Strong take-outs of partner's 
no-trump bids must be made on all hands worth an 
original major suit bid. Also on all except hopelessly 
weak two-suiters, if one of these long suits is either 
spades or hearts. Last of all upon a fairly strong major 
suit of 5 or more cards whenever another suit is void 
or contains a low singleton. The irregularity of your 
suit lengths usually presages dangerous suits in ad- 
versaries* hands. Bid Two on the following hands 
over partner's i-No Trump call: 

Spades Hearts Clubs Diamonds 

A-K-J-9-S Q-6 9-8-4 10-7-3 

10--8 A-J--9-7-2 A-K-6 9-6-4 

K-J-6-5-3 8-4 J A-K-io-8-5 

J-9-7-4 Q-ia-9-6-5 8-7-4-3 - - - - 

94 



The difficulty of going game from love with a strong 
minor bid usually makes it inadvisable to take partner 
out of his no-trump bid with a minor call worth less 
than an opening bid of Three. Special conditions some- 
times make desirable a minor take-out from strength. 
This should be done at any time when the score is 
sufficiently high to probably enable game to be won 
at diamonds or clubs. At a score of i8 the first hand 
below should be bid 2-Clubs over partner's i-No 
Trump. At love score the second hand should not 
attempt the take-out, since its strength can be so well 
utilized at no trumps. The third hand had better 
bid 2-Diamonds, at any score, followed by a bid of 
3-Clubs if partner returns to his no-trumper. 

Spades Hearts Clubs Diamonds 

1. 10-7 8-5-3 K-Q-J-9-6-4 7-2 

2. 9-4 K-io A-K-Q-8-5-3 J-io-8 

3. 5 K-J-io-9-6-4 A-K-J-io-7-5 

In general, strong major suits urge take-outs, while 
similar minor suits must be counted as no-trump help. 
Spades and hearts are safer than no-trump calls, and 
strong major suits can about as readily go game. 
The difficulty of winning 5-odd with diamonds or 
clubs as trumps counterbalances the greater risk of 
the no-trumper. 

The weakest no-trumper which will pay to habitually 
bid is a hand a queen above average, with the strength 
well distributed over at least 3 suits. The weakest 
take-out which will in the long run win for your side 
more than it loses is on a topless 6-card major suit, 
with or without side tricks, or a topless 6-card minor 

95 



suit, especially one lacking average side tricks. If the 
long topless minor suit has more than average strength 
in side tricks, in other words, if the long minor suit 
is fully compensated by quick side tricks, it will aver- 
age to pay better not to disturb partner's no-trump 
bid. Overbid partner's i-No Trump with hands No. 
I and No. 2 shown below, but pass when holding 
No. 3 and No. 4. 



spades 


Hearts 


Clubs Diamonds 


I. 10-4 


9-6-5 


Q-io-8-7-4-3 K-7 


2. Q-8 


A-Q-3 


J-9-8-6-S-2 8-6 


3- 9-6-5 


A-io 


J-9-8-6-S-2 A-K 


4. A-K 


K-Q-4 


10-8-7-5-4-3 lo-s 



Considerable factors in the strength and safety of 
the no-trump bidder lie in the opening lead coming up 
to him, instead of through his hand, and in his weak- 
nesses being concealed. On this account dummy is 
ordinarily worth at least a trick less on partner's suit 
call than was anticipated when its holder bid no trump. 
To offset this is the greater average safety of a trump 
call. An established adverse suit cannot be mn to its 
end against a suit call, as it can at no trumps, so long 
as trumps last. If you have a suit which is probably 
worth 2 more tricks as trumps than if played at your 
partner's no-trump call, your take-out necessitates 
winning an extra trick, and his cards are probably 
worth at least i trick less on your call than at his. 
Therefore your only gain lies in added safety. On the 
other hand, it requires an additional trick to go game 
from love with a major suit, and 2 additional tricks to 
go game with a minor suit. Weak take-outs gain only 

96 



in safety, as they are intended to do. Strong major- 
suit take-outs add to this reasonable game prospects, 
and they are accordingly both safe and sound. Strong 
minor suits can so seldom go game from love, and 
they can so well support partner's no-trumper, that 
they cannot profitably be utilized as take-outs except 
to the score, or where they are part of an unusually 
strong minor two-suiter. 

Under "Compensated Suits" was shown that a 
S-card suit, running naturally from jack down to 
deuce, has 54 in 100 chances to win 2 tricks as trumps. 
A sound trump call demands a suit able to win 3 tricks, 
and a s-card suit headed by ace, king, or queen meets 
this requirement, provided that it contains also the 
jack or 10-9. Any 6-card suit will average to win 3 
tricks. 

We can sum up the average results of a s-card take- 
out from weakness as follows : a suit headed by a card 
lower than jack, or one headed by jack in which most 
of the cards run very low, will be set back more often 
than the no-trumper; if headed by jack, and thence 
dropping gradually to the deuce, the take-out and the 
no-trumper will suffer about the same niunber of de- 
feats; if headed by either A, K, or Q, together with 
the jack or 10-9, the set-backs for the take-out will 
be fewer than for the no-trumper. All take-outs from 
weakness with s-card suits average to reduce the num- 
ber of tricks the declaration can be set. On the other 
hand, the no-trumper will win more games, and hence 
will yield larger average scores than the weak take- 
outs, because the former will have more 2 so honor 
points for rubbers to its credit. 

97 



The practical application of these probabilities to 
his own case requires a player to really know his own 
capabilities and limitations, more especially the latter. 
Strong teams will benefit in the long run by avoiding 
S-card take-outs from weakness. If an acute player 
bids i-No Trump you had better refrain from the 
weak take-out on five of a suit, but if your partner is 
a less sharp player, or if he is a stranger, it may be 
safer to make this weak take-out. But for harmony's 
sake make this take-out without protest for any partner 
who has requested it. 



PASSING 

Sound passes are as important a part of the game as 
sound bids, and on your correct interpretation of a 
player's reasons for passing may depend your gain or 
loss on that hand. A partner who passes when he 
should bid is about as distressing a mate as one who 
bids at all times. Bids are necessary to win games and 
rubbers. Players who bid only on game hands, or 
who hold back to see what other players will do, are 
permitting opponents to score unwarrantedly. 

It is a duty to take your partner out of a losing make 
only when it can be done to advantage. It is best to 
leave an opponent in a cheap make, incapable of going 
game, whether he will win or lose, unless the advantage 
to you is clear in making a bid. Your opponents may 
have expected you to bid, and are lying low with big 
hands, ready to double you or to go no trump when 
you bid. If you refuse to bid and let them play the 
deal it will usually be best for you. It is, however, 
your duty to make every possible sound bid unless a 
weightier reason for passing exists. 

Partner's ''No Bid" as dealer denies having a sound 
opening bid. His ''Pass" after an opponent's opening 
bid admits lack of suitable primary bid to overcall 
opponent. If opponent's bid is higher than i-Club 

99 



your partner may have a sound bid of One, but still 
be unable to bid Two in a lower suit than opponent 
has named. Partner may have an opening no-trump 
bid, without opponent's suit stopped, but lacking a 
good suit bid, or cards warranting a conventional 
double to disclose the situation, he is forced to pass. 
Having great strength at opponent's trtunp call justi- 
fies passing, provided no suitable overcall can be made. 
Opponent's call is so unlikely to remain undisturbed 
by his partner or by you that your partner is unjus- 
tified in passing a favorable opportunity to make a bid 
merely because he likes opponent's call. Partner's 
failure to overcall opponent's no tnunp may come 
from inability to do so, or because he can surely 
save game, possibly because he can defeat the no- 
trumper without having a probable game-going decla- 
ration of his own. 

Partner's failure to support your call tells you one 
of two things: that he is powerless to properly assist 
you, or that he cap defeat opponent's call and fears 
that they will shift if he either assists or doubles. 
Partner should hold a probable 3 tricks to assist you 
at the first opportunity, but each time you repeat your 
bid over his pass deducts i trick from that require- 
ment. If you have twice rebid your suit over partner's 
passes he can raise your bid the third round on a single 
quick trick, with added possibilities. Therefore part- 
ner's continued refusal to raise your bid is a distinct 
warning for you not to overbid your hand. Partner's 
failure to support your no-trump bid which an oppo- 
nent has overcalled shows a double lack: first of a sure 
stop to opponent's suit with outside help for your no- 

joo 



trumper; second, a sound bid of his own. He may 
have excellent assistance for you which he will disclose 
on the next round if you rebid or if you shift to a suit 
bid. All possible causes for partner's acts must be 
recognized without asstuning that a particular one is 
the real cause until further bidding makes his reason 
more clear. 

The original no-trump bidder can continue with an 
adverse suit stopped once, or if he has a ''near stop," 
if his hand warrants such a course. Absolute stops 
are. A, K-Q, K-J-io, Q-J-io, and near stops are 

K-J-9, K-J-8-7, Q-J-9, Q-J-8-7, K-io-9-7. The 
original no-trump bidder's partner cannot tell whether 
a particular no-trumper is strong or weak, so in addi- 
tion to a single stop to a dangerous call he usually 
requires at least 2 outride tricks to advance partner's 
no-trump bid. If the adverse bid is a minor one, or 
even if it is a major call with opponents at love score, 
a sure stop and 3 safe outside tricks are none too much 
to continue partner's bid. A near stop held at oppo- 
nent's left can be utilized as if it were a sure stop, but 
if held at opponent's right, so that the opening lead 
will go through it, the near stop demands an added 
side trick to make a sound assisting bid if partner has 
passed. 

A risk should always be compensated by a hope of 
extra gain. This small risk of a probable stop instead 
of a sure one is worth an added trick, unless the score 
is bad. A larger risk demands still greater chances 
of gain. This rule of taking risks proportionate to 
possible gains is important to remember in various 
situations arising during the course of a game, such 

lOI 



as risking a deep finesse to win the rubber, or losing a 
trick on an even chance to win two later on. 

It is unjustifiable to take even a slight risk to pre- 
vent opponents from winning a contract which is in- 
capable of going game. You have nearly as good 
chances to win the game from love as they have from 
28. Never take even a slight uncompensated risk in 
such a situation. Pass and see what partner will do. 
Except in cases of real emergency it is proper to let 
the original bidder assume the risks, and for his partner 
to stick to the rules prescribed for raising bids. It 
will not do for each player to overbid his hand a trick 
or two just to prevent opponents from obtaining a 
risky contract. 

Intermediate scores have some value, as sometimes 
two successive small scores go game. Moreover, it is 
much easier to win 3-odd than 4-odd, and still easier 
to win 2-odd. To that extent you must keep track 
of the score to see whether you had better pass an 
adverse bid which you feel cannot win many tricks. 
If opponents need only 2- or 3-odd to go game you 
must sometimes take risks which a clean score would 
make unjustifiable. 



DOUBLING AND REDOUBLlNGr 

Just as with bids, doubles and redoubles may be 
either informatory or they may mean business. But 
those made for information no longer include a double 
of a low bid of any suit to invite partner's no-trump bid 
by showing stops to the opposing suit. There are now 
four distinct varieties of doubles: 

1. The Pat ton double of no-trump bids. 

2. The Whitehead double of trump bids. 

3. The business double when able to defeat a busi- 
ness bid. 

4. The bluff double merely intended to frighten the 
bidder into a less dreaded call. 

There is a species of redouble to correspond with 
each of these doubles. Redoubles are used to combat 
the troublesome Patton and Whitehead doubles. The 
business redouble is used where the bidder believes 
that he can make his doubled contract. The bluff 
redouble is sometimes the only possible escape from 
serious loss. This redouble may frighten the doubler 
or his partner into a bid, either because they can go 
game or because one opponent has so little of value 
against the doubled call that he fears to trust his 
partner's judgment when you redouble. 

The bluff double, like bidding a suit in which you 

103 



hold nothing, may occasionally fool even a good player, 
but it is so seldom effective against a sound bidder 
that it is almost a thing of the past. Plaj^ers no 
longer take a partner out of a double unless they have 
the strength to do so with comparative safety. 

It is safer to double or redouble a player who sits 
on your right than one sitting over you at your left. 

Do not double or redouble, even on a certainty, 
when there is a probable loophole for escape into an- 
other call less favorable to you. 

On the rubber game, in particular, doubling and re- 
doubling, except on certainties, should be made to 
score. 

A *'free double'* is when the bidder will win game 
on the undoubled contract. Somewhat greater liber- 
ties can be taken on a double under such conditions. 
But you must never double merely on that account. 
Do not take your partner out of a double unless you 
either would or could have done so had he not been 
doubled. 

If your partner's bids and the cards you hold show 
that escape to a call less favorable to you is practically 
impossible, there are two things still to consider be- 
fore doubling: 

1. Whether you can surely defeat the contract. 

2. If you can set the bidder back, will it pay you better 
than the best declaration open to you? 

A double discloses where strength lies, and reduces 
the doubler's winning chances by an average of about 
one trick, by causing leads through his hand to be 
made. 

104 



If the declarer's partner has not bid, more especially 
if he has passed, a doubler sitting over the declarer 
can more freely count kings as tricks, trump tenaces 
as worth two tricks, medium-sized tnnnps as worth 
tricks, and so on. If the doubler sits at declarer's 
right, or if both opponents have bid, tricks must be 
counted in a very conservative manner. The former 
situation gives a favorable doubling position, the latter 
gives an unfavorable doubling position. 

In a favorable doubling position it is sufficient to 
hold enough reasonably sure tricks to win all outside 
of what the contract calls for, thus depending upon 
your partner for a single trick if you have not heard 
from him. If your partner has given a bid showing 
three tricks, you can count two of them. It is dan- 
gerous to count three of them unless you play both 
hands. If the bidding contest between your hand and 
the declarer's has been very keen, and your partner has 
steadily passed, you cannot count on him for even a 
single trick. 

In an unfavorable doubling position at least one more 
trick than given above should be held by the doubler. 
Both because of the conventional use of the double 
of i-No Trump, and because escape is easy, a player 
must never double i-No Trvunp on an established 
suit which can defeat the bid. Similarly with a suit 
bid of One, never double because you can defeat it. 

In most cases there is little in doubles of 2-bids. 
Three-bids are sufficiently high, if made in major 
suits, to cut off safe escape, and are hard to win. 

Doubles of high trump bids, which have risen step 
by step, both partners bidding, can be doubled largely 
8 los 



on side strength, but high original bids show such long 
trump suits as to probably render side strength im- 
potent. 

Where both members of a team have been bidding 
the same suit and the one whose turn it is to bid next 
doubles, instead of passing to see what his partner 
will do, it must be taken to mean that the doubler 
holds a quick trick in adversaries* suit, probably the 
ace. Partner may find this information extremely 
valuable. In any event the double need not prevent 
him from continuing the bidding, if he thinks it best 
to do so. If one member doubles after his partner 
has passed, or if he doubles after having passed on the 
previous round, no such quick trick in opponent's suit 
can be inferred from this double. 

Count trump tricks on opponents' calls with care. 
The ace or both K-Q or Q-J-io are worth a sure trick, 
whether at declarer's right or left. K-J-io count for 
a single trick if at his right, but are ordinarily good for 
2 tricks when at his left. Even if the queen is in 
dtimmy, K-J-io-X is worth 2 tricks on either side, 
but if on declarer's right they are apt to be worth 
only I trick unless queen is in dummy. K-Q-X and* 
Q-J-io-X are worth 2 tricks at declarer's left, and 
K-X is worth a trick. Q-X-X is probably worth a 
trick at declarer's left. Either king or queen at de- 
clarer's right requires an unusual combination of two 
lower cards to be worth a trick or else at least three 
other trumps. J-X-X-X, or any five trtimps includ- 
ing a card as high as the 7, give a probable trick on 
either side of declarer. 

Outside aces, or both K-Q, count as quick tricks in 

106 



side suits. Guarded kings, unless the latter are at 
the right of the bidder of those suits, or unless in very 
long suits, count as probable tricks. The only remain- 
ing side cards probably worth tricks, under ordinary 
conditions, are Q-J-io and Q-J-9, which can be 
counted as worth a probable trick. If there are four 
cards or more in their suit they must be disregarded 
as probable tricks. An established plain suit cannot 
be counted as worth more than two probable tricks 
unless accompanied by abundant re-entry and con- 
siderable trtimp strength, so that declarer can be run 
out of trumps. Or, lacking the side-suit re-entry, by 
great trump strength. The table given below shows 
how useless a long side suit is when opposed to trump 
strength. The table takes into consideration cases 
where both dummy and an opponent can ruff by pre- 
suming that the dtmimy can either outruff the pone 
or else will ruff so high as to make pone's winning so 
expensive as to count to the declarer's credit later on. 

Chances in 100 that opponents will ruf your leads. 



Number in 








your suit 


ist Round 


2d Round 


3d Roi 


I 

2 


72 

I 


9 


— 


3 


2 


14 


50 


4 


3 


22 


63 


5 


5 


32 


79 


6 


9 


45 


99 


7 


14 


60 


100 



As compared with above, note in the next table 
the great power which a long line of tnmips confers on 
the declarer. This table shows the chances in 100 that 

107 



the declarer has to win from his adversaries a given 
number of trump tricks merely on length of suit when 
holding the lowest possible tnmip sequence — 2-3-4-5-6, 
etc. 



Number held 


Will win 


Times in 100 


6 trumps 


3 tricks 


55 


7 trumps 


4 or more tricks 


75 


8 trumps 


5 or more tricks 


90 


9 trumps 


7 tricks 


70 



An average rubber runs 400 points, or 200 points 
per game. At equal scores both sides have even 
chances, 2 in 4, to win the rubber. Winning or losing 
a game adds i in 4 or deducts i in 4 from those chances. 
One chance represents i game, or 200 points; 2 chances 
represent a rubber, or 400 points; while the 4 chances 
represent the difference between winning or losing a 
rubber, or 800 points. 

If you have a choice between winning a game or 
doubling an opponent for at least 300 points penalty, 
always choose the latter, regardless of the score. In 
the long run all games, first, rubber, or second, are of 
equal value. Act precisely as you would in business 
if you could honestly take 300 for something worth 
only 200. 

If you do not double j^ou will average to win and 
lose the same ntmiber of rubbers, and thus come out 
even. If you double for 300 points in preference to 
going game, you will lose one-half the rubbers you 
might have won had you not doubled. Thus you will 
average to win i in 4 rubbers, at a value of 400 + 300 = 
700 points. You will average to lose 3 in 4 such rub- 

icS 



bers, each at a value of 400 — 300=100 points, or 300 
points loss for the 3 rubbers. But you will average to 
win on 4 such rubbers 700 — 300=1400 points, an aver- 
age gain of 100 points per double, instead of coming 
out even, as you will average to do if you prefer games 
to 300-point penalties. 

No point in the game seems more bewildering to 
most players than this very simple proposition: the 
amount in excess of 200 points which you win on a 
double, made in preference to going game, averages 
to be clear gain, regardless of how you and your op- 
ponents stand on the score. 

Whenever you can surely set an opponent by at 
least 3 tricks you must double instead of going game. 
If you can surely go game, but are not certain that 
you can set an opponent more than 2 tricks, you had 
better go game. If you know that you can set an 
opponent even a single trick you had better double 
if you cannot surely go game. 

If you are doubled, unless your partner has bid, 
3^ou must not expect even a single trick's assistance 
from him when you consider whether you shall re- 
double. Refrain from a redouble, even on a certainty 
of success, if an avenue is open for opponents to bid 
anything which you cannot double for as great a 
reward. 

For convenience we will refer to the two species 
of double given below by the names of the men who 
introduced them to New York club players. These 
are the only valuable informatory doubles now in use. 
The *'Patton double'* was devised in 191 1 by C. L. 
Patton, and has been in constant use in the Knicker- 

109 



bocker Whist Club, New York City, since that date. 
The *' Whitehead double" was first successfully utilized 
by Wilbur C. Whitehead in England and Italy, after 
which he brought it to the notice of New York players 
in 1914. 

Both of these doubles have already been referred 
to under *' Forced Bids/* but for convenience they are 
reoutlined here. 

It often happens that a previous adverse bid of i-No 
Trump is made before you can carry out your intention 
of making the same bid on a powerful hand lacking a 
strong major-suit bid. If you have strength in all 
suits, so that opponents probably cannot run out any 
one of them against you, then you can bid 2-N0 Trump 
on probable ability to win at least 6 tricks, depending 
upon your partner for average help. You must not 
expect more of him unless he has bid. If your partner 
has bid, you require strength in only the three re- 
maining suits to bid 2-N0 Trumps over opponent's 
i-No Trump. If you are confident that opponents 
cannot go game, either at no trump or on your next 
opponent's possible take-out you had better assist 
partner's call, or pass and see what happens, unless 
you feel confident of making 2-odd if you overbid, 
with strong possibilities of going game. If i-odd may 
be made by opponents and will give them game, you 
may feel compelled to bid 2-N0 Trumps on a dubious 
hand, if you are certain that you cannot be badly set, 
in order to save game. In any event, your bid of 
2-No Tnunp over i-No Trump should always mean 
that you have at least some strength in all suits. If 
habitually used this way, your partner can support 

no 



your bid over third hand's suit bid on the assumption 
that you hold a stop. Or he can double opponents' 
subsequent bids with the assurance that your hand 
offers some resistance to their bids. He can also make 
a major take-out of Three on about the same hand 
he would bid Two over your i-No Trump bid. 

The Patton double is reserved for cases where little 
or no strength is held in one suit. Sometimes it is 
used at a bad score where the hand has generally dis- 
tributed strength not to exceed 5 probable tricks, with 
perhaps added possibilities. Such a hand probably 
cannot make 2-odd unless partner holds full or even 
more than average strength, and a good trump call by 
partner looks safer than a problematical 2-N0 Trump 
bid. In either case, this double is a request for partner 
to bid his best suit, or to bid 2-N0 Trumps if he holds 
high cards in more than one suit and has no good suit 
bid. If the suit bid is made, the doubler lets it stand 
if it is one of his good suits, but he bids 2-N0 Trumps 
if it happens to be his weak suit. 

The Whitehead* double is quite different. It is 
used by a player having a powerful no-trump hand 
which lacks a stop to an adverse suit previously bid. 
The double is a peremptory demand for partner to 
bid his best suit, or i-No Trump if he has a stop to 
the adverse suit if it is led up to him, and at the same 
time has no long suit to bid. It is frequently too much 
to ask that a sure stop be held, if he lacks a good suit 
bid. If he cannot risk stopping even a lead up to 
him of the adverse suit, the double demands a bid of 
his best suit, no matter how weak it may be. It is pref- 
erable to bid a weak suit rather than 2-N0 Trumps 

m 



unless the adverse suit can be stopped twice, or unless 
good cards are held in addition to a single sure stop. 
The double must not be allowed to stand, unless the 
bidder can be defeated, because it will probably be 
more costly than bidding even an extremely weak suit. 

After you have doubled the next opponent frequently 
attempts to prevent your partner from bidding by in- 
creasing the doubled bid or by changing it. This 
removes the obligation of your partner to bid except 
from strength, and you must double the new bid if you 
still deem it best to force a weak bid from him. If 
no intervening bid is made your partner can show 
genuine strength by bidding unnecessarily high in re- 
sponse to your double. If partner doubles a bid after 
you have shown general strength by doubling, his 
double states that he expects to defeat the new bid. 

The Patton double was intended solely for use 
against a habitual bidder of absurdly light no-trumpers. 
The general result of the double was either a game for 
the doubler's side, or a fair penalty if his partner failed 
to make a bid. The double was made on so strong a 
hand that the no-trump bidder seldom made more 
than the odd trick. The double was not intended for 
use against players who made perfectly sound no- 
trump bids, and it will never pay to use it against 
them. In such cases, unless partner can make a bid 
without the double, the double generally results badly. 
If partner is strong you win a few tricks at 6, 7, or 
more points, instead of setting the no-trump bidder 
for 50 points a trick. If partner is weak, you go down 
at least 50 points a trick instead of saving game. If, 
instead of doubling a bidder of real no-trumpers on ^ 

HZ 



hand good for at least s or 6 tricks, you attempt to 
double him on a weaker hand, the results average to 
be extremely bad. You may save a game, or even 
defeat the player whose average no-trumper is strong, 
but you cannot hope to go game against him unless 
partner can bid without the encouragement of your 
double. The average character of the bidder's no- 
trumpers, quite as much as the strength of your own 
hand, must be considered before doubling when you 
cannot make a sound bid of 2-N0 Trumps over i-No 
Trump. 

The Whitehead double Is quite a different matter. 
Here, the main purpose of the double is to determine 
whether partner can properly stop the adverse suit 
which has been bid. If he can do so, game at no 
trumps is the probable result. If he cannot do so, the 
average result of his suit bid is better than on the 
Patton double. The average quality of opponent's 
bids is also of less consequence, since a suit bid doe^ 
not imply the strength at all calls that a no-trump 
bid does. 

Both of these doubles expertly used have proved so 
hard to combat by ordinary means that it has become 
necessary to devise special redoubles by means of 
which the partner of the doubled bidder can at times 
disclose his holdings. If unsound doubles are made 
these special redoubles are deadly replies. Rather 
than complicate matters by introducing a new name 
for these redoubles, they will be called respectively 
''the Patton redouble" and ''the Whitehead redouble." 

Let us suppose that your partner bids i-No Trump 
gn hand No, i shown below, which is doubled by the 

1^3 



next player on No. 2, and that you hold No. 3, the 
doublet's partner having No. 4 : 

Spades Hearts Clubs Diamonds 

1. 10-9-7-6 A-8-4 A-J-io K-J-2 

2. A-Q-3 K-J-io 8-5-4 A-io-9-3 

3. K-J-2 Q-7-2 K-Q-7-3 Q-6-S 

4. 8-S-4 9-6-S-3 9-6-2 8-7-4 

You redouble your partner's bid in order to show 
the help you have for his no-trumper. This is the 
Patton redouble. The redouble encourages partner, 
and it may sometimes frighten an opponent into an 
unwarranted call which can be doubled for a heavy 
score. If partner can win even the odd at redoubled 
value it means game. In above example the redouble 
places the doubler in an unenviable position. Neither 
he nor his partner can bid, and he probably cannot 
win more than 4 tricks against the redoubled no-trump 
bid, although his hand would ordinarily be worth the 
double. 

If partner bids very light no-trumpers, the redouble 
requires at least 4 possible and well-distributed tricks 
to be held by the redoubler. The character of part- 
ner's average no-trumpers, the average quality of the 
doubler's and partner's game, have all to be considered 
in deciding upon your necessary strength for a re- 
double. 

The Whitehead redouble also shows several possible 
tricks, not necessarily quick tricks, but rather cards 
which are likely to win tricks, because they are over 
those of the player who announces that he holds high 
cards in the unbid suits. In the illustrations below 

H4 



the first bidder holds No. i and bids i -Spade, the next 
player doubles on No. 2, and the spade-bidder's part- 
ner redoubles on No. 3, the remaining player holds 
No. 4. 





Spades 


Hearts 


Clubs 


Diamonds 


I. 

2. 

4- 


K-Q-j-9-5 
6-3-2 

8 
A-io-7-4 


A-6-2 
K-J-io-9 
Q-7-4-3 
8-5 


9-S 

A-Q-J 

K-io-6-2 

8-7-4-3 


8-5-3 
A-J-io 

K-Q-9-7 
6-4-2 


I. 

2. 
3. 


A-K-J-8-6-2 

7-4-3 
9 


8-5 
A-Q-J 

K-9-4-2 


6 

K-Q-J-9 

A-7-5-2 


9-5-4-2 

A-K-J 

Q-io-8-6 


4- 


Q-io-5 


10-7-6-3 


10-8-4-3 


7-3 



B 



These redoubles show lack of help in the suit bid 
because the third bidder instead of redoubling would 
pass if he held both side help and trump help, because 
he knows that the next player must bid. If the third 
bidder held strong help for spades, with little besides, 
he would immediately raise his partner's bid, in order 
to shut out opposing bids. The redoubles also tell the 
original bidder that if fourth hand goes no trump he 
had better open another suit, in order to secure a lead 
through to his spades if he requires help to establish 
his suit. The redouble warns the original bidder not 
to continue his spade bids unless he needs only prob- 
able side tricks as help. 

In case A the spade bidder will find his suit stopped 
twice if he opens it, and the no-trumper cannot be 
defeated. On the redouble he will open with his low 
heart, although he has only three, his partner will 
lead his singleton spade, and the spades cannot be 



stopped more than once, while his ace of hearts serves 
for re-entry. The redouble will thus defeat the no- 
trumper. 

In case B, if fourth hand ventures a no-trumper, the 
redouble warns the spade bidder to open his second 
best suit, diamonds. The lead through the spades 
enables them to badly defeat the no-trumper. If a 
direct opening is made of spades the no-trumper can- 
not be defeated. 

As an important feature of the redouble is a promise 
of a lead through the no-trump bidder, the redouble 
must not be made unless at least one of partner's suit 
is held. Since fourth bidder is warned in advance of 
what will occur, he must not go no tnunp over a re- 
double as he would without it, with a stop which is 
only good if led up to. The proper use of these two 
doubles requires some thought and experience, but the 
correct use of the redoubles is an advanced feature of 
a thoroughly sound game, which is dangerous for any 
one to attempt against better players or with an un- 
reliable bidding partner. Neither these doubles nor 
redoubles can be recommended for general use. They 
should be used only by a team which has carefully 
studied them and will properly use them. 



NO-TRUMP LEADS 

The moment that dummy is spread the declarer 
knows the entire 26 cards of his side. All the remain- 
ing cards are hostile. As side player, you still know 
only 13 cards of your side. It is accordingly the duty 
of yourself and your partner to nullify all that you 
can of the declarer's advantage, by utilizing the various 
conventional ways of showing just what you hold. 
Under favorable conditions your joint cards average 
to win I trick less than they would if held by the 
declarer's side, merely because he knows his full re- 
sources better than you know yours. Failure to ex- 
change correct information with partner, and neglect 
to follow the best methods of play, may cost you sev- 
eral more tricks. Begin your disclosures by selecting 
your best suit for the opening or ''blind lead." Then 
lead from it the card which will most clearly show your 
holdings, as explained later. 

As side player at no trumps usually your only 
chance to win is to establish a long suit. The de- 
clarer's discards must then curtail his long suit or 
weaken his remaining suits. The side first able to 
set up its long suit possesses the most powerful weapon 
to be found at no trumps. 

The best suit to open is a solid one. This allows a 

117 



safe look at dummy. In general, open your longest 
and strongest suit when your partner has not bid. 
What you must do if he has bid will be found under 
*' Leads to Partner's Strength.'* 

There are seven general varieties of openings at no 
trumps: 



No. 


I Solid suits 


{ 


A-K-0-J-io 

A-K-O-J 

A-K-Q 


No. 


2 Probably estab- 
lished suits 


{ 


A-K-X-X-X-X-X 

A-K-0-X-X-X 

A-K-0-J-X 


No. 


3 Suits probably 
establishable 
without pone's 
assistance 


1 


A-X-X-X-X-X-X 

K-0-J-X-X-X 

A-K-X-X-X-X 


No. 


4 Suits with 3 
honors; long 
suits with 2 
honors in se- 


- 


A-J-io-X-X 

A-K-J-X 

A-K-X-X-X-X 




quence 





No. s 



5 A-0-: 
j K-o- 
< 0-X-; 



-0-X-X-X-X without re-entry 
■J-X without re-entry 
X-X-X-X-X with another ace 



No. 6 Suits having 
no re-entry 



No. 7 Long weak suits 



A-io-X-X-X 

K-X-X-X-X-X 

Q-J-X-X-X-X 



9-X-X-X-X 
lo-X-X-X 



Each card is a sure trick. 
The view of dummy and 
the fall of the cards guide 
you to a second opening. 

Each card is a probable 
winner and an opportu- 
nity is afforded to study 
for a second opening. 



If holding in addition a 
card of re-entry. 



With or without re-entry 
several tricks may be 
won either through part- 
ner's ability to help or 
because the declarer is 
long in the su.it and 
must finally lead it. 

Needing partner to win 
one trick and lead back 
the suit. 

Requiring active co-op- 
eration of partner to es- 
tablish. 



1 



Incapable of winning a 
trick except through be- 

Y ing partner's long suit. 

j Unlikely to be any one's 
J long suit. 



At an early stage in the development of the game 
the dealer was the declarer. He usually selected no 
trump if he had no strong major suit. If eldest hand 
was extremely weak, the high-value suits were either 
divided, or else they were held by diunmy or younger. 
"Opening short'' was then apt to prove the best thing 
for partner, by opening up his best suit, or by going 

ii8 



through dummy's strength. The short opening was 
less good when each player had a bid, although some 
suits could not well be bid against a no-trumper. 
Partner can now bid a good 5 -card suit to show a lead 
in case the no-trumper is continued. Thus the utility 
of the short opening has departed. 

If your partner cannot make even a protective bid, 
and your only long suit has already been bid by an 
opponent, then your best lead may still be the top of 
a short supporting suit like 10-9-8, J-io, 9-X-X. 
Otherwise than that you had better open with your 
fourth best card from a powerless hand. Avoid lead- 
ing from Q-X or J-X-X, since they might win on a 
finesse. Avoid also an opening from a short suit 
lacking supporting cards, like 8-X, 7-X-X. 

Suits Hke A-X-X-X, K-X-X-X-X, moderately 
long and having a top honor, are more useful to hold 
for re-entry than to open. Your partner may require 
re-entry to establish a long suit even if you do not. 
In the absence of other possibilities you may, of course, 
be forced to open such a suit. 

Having two honor suits of equal length, open the 
weaker one first, and use the higher cards of the other 
for re-entry. Open a suit like Q- J-X-X, and use an 
A-K-X-X suit for its re-entry cards. 

In selecting the proper card to lead from a given suit 
several items must be considered: 

1. Catching opponents' unguarded high cards. 

2. Retaining control of the suit. 

3. Making the necessary loss of a trick as expensive as 
possible for the declarer. 

4. Affording partner a chance to utilize any strength he 

119 



may possess in the suit, and to lead it back while he still has 
cards in it. 

5. Disclosing to partner what you hold in your suit to 
enable him to judge whether your suit or his own will best 
pay to play. 

The length of your suit and whether you have or 
have not re-entry often influence the selection of the 
opening card. 

Some of the leads in common use unnecessarily fail 
to meet some of these 5 requisites without compensat- 
ing gain in other ways. 

The following table shows the card most nearly 
meeting the requirements in a majority of hands. 

These 19 regular leads are the most important fea- 
tures of the defense against a no-trumper. 



Lead 
Ace 


I 


OPENING LEADS AT NO TRUMP 

Holding 
Ace and any other honor, except king, with 7 or more in the 
suit and re-entry. Otherwise lead as given below. 


King 


2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 


A-K-Q, or more with or without re-entry. 

A-K-J, 4 or more in suit with re-entry or 7 without. 

A-K-io, 4 or more in suit with re-entry or 7 without. 

A-K, 7 or more with or without re-entry. 

K-Q-J, 4 or more with or without re-entry. 

K-Q-io, 4 or more with or without re-entry. 

K-Q, 7 or more with or without re-entry. 


Queen 


9 
10 
II 


A-Q-J. 4 or more with or without re-entry. 
Q-J-io, 4 or more with or without re-entry. 
Q-J-9, 4 or more with or without re-entry. 


Jack 


12 
13 
14 
15 


A-K-J, less than 7 in suit without re-entry. 
A-J-io, 4 or more with or without re-entry. 
K-J-io, 4 or more in suit with or without re-entry. 
J- 1 0-9, 4 or more with or without re-entry. 


10 


16 

17 
18 


A-K-io, less than 7 in suit without re-entry. 
A-Q-io, 7 or more in suit without re-entry. 
10-9-8, 4 or more in suit with or without re-entry. 
vSee Note. 



120 



4th 
best 
card 
of suit 



19 



Any other combination such as : 

Single honors any number in suit with or without re-entry. 
A-K, less than 7 in suit with or without re-entry. 
A-Q, A-J, A-io, less than 7 with or any number without re- 
entry. 
K-Q, less than 7 in suit with or without re-entry. 
K-J, K-io, Q-io, any number with or without re-entry. 
A-Q-io, less than 7 in suit with or without re-entry. 
Long suits without an honor with or without re-entry. 
See Note. 



Note. — 10, 9, or 8 is sometimes led instead of the fourth-best card, as 
explained under top-of-an-intermediate sequence. 

The general rule is to lead one of three honors, when 
two of them are in sequence. A subordinate rule is to 
lead the higher of two cards in sequence, unless one 
of them is the ace. The old Whist lead of lo from 
K--J-10-X has nearly disappeared in favor of the jack 
lead, so as to conform to these rules. It is well, how- 
ever, to remember that some players still lead lo from 
K-J-io suits. 

The opening lead of an honor at no trtmips usually 
shows that the suit holds 3 honors or 7 cards. The 
jack or 10 may also be from the top of a sequence, or 
the 10 from an intermediate sequence. In rare cases, 
either jack or 10 may come from a short supporting 
suit in a valueless hand, because its only long suit has 
previously been bid by the declarer. 

The rule to lead one of three honors applies only 
where two of them are in sequence, and the suit holds 
over 3 cards, A-Q- 10, are the only three honors where 
two are not in sequence. If re-entry is held, the ace 
is led from seven (just as if it were A-Q or A- 10). 
Without re-entry the 10 is led to permit partner to 
return the suit, as he probably holds only two. Pone 
has 5 in 9 chances to hold either king or jack, or both. 
One of two honors not in sequence is led only from ace 

9 121 



and another honor with seven in the suit and re-entry. 
Leads from two honors in sequence without a third 
are made only when one of them is the king (see leads 
Nos. 5 and 8), or when the jack is led as the top of a 
sequence. The lead of a single honor only comes 
with the lo as top of a sequence. These rules are for 
opening no-trump leads when partner has not bid. 

An ace opening shows 7 cards in the suit with an- 
other honor and re-entry. 

A king lead shows the presence of the ace or queen, 
or both. With both ace and queen the suit may be of 
any length either with or without re-entry. If either 
ace or queen is lacking the minimum length is 7 cards 
with or without re-entry, unless jack or 10 is held. 

A queen lead shows absence of the king, but presence 
of two other honors (or the 9). The suit may be of 
any length over 3 cards regardless of whether re-entry 
is or is not held. 

A jack lead denotes absence of the queen, but usually 
the presence of two other honors (or the 9), and a suit 
of more than 3 cards regardless of re-entry. 

A 10 lead denies holding the jack. It usually shows 
the presence of two other honors, or else it comes from 
the top of a sequence and a suit of over 3 cards regard- 
less of re-entry. It may also come from an intermediate 
sequence. 

A fourth-best lead should, if possible, be made from 
a suit having fair chances to win a trick or more, with- 
out expecting partner's hand to do it all. If a low 
4-card suit is headed by a sequence of at least 3 cards 
a better lead can be made with its top card than with 
its lowest one. Partner can usually detect the se- 

122 



quence lead and thus know that the suit contains no 
high cards. 

A 5 -card suit headed by jack, or a longer suit lacking 
an honor, can usually be established in 3 leads. Count- 
ing on 3^our partner to return 3^our lead once, you gen- 
erally require at least 2 re-entry cards in your own 
hand, one to secure the third lead of your suit, and the 
other to get in after your suit is established. 

The top-of-an-intermediate sequence lead, or, more 
briefly, a middle sequence or a midsequence lead, is fre- 
quently used instead of the fourth-best lead. All players 
lead the jack from A-J-io-X, the queen from A-Q-J-X 
as midsequence leads. This principle is merely ex- 
tended to include leads of the 10, 9, and 8 (but no lower 
cards) when they head intermediate sequences, in 
cases where otherwise the fourth-best card must be 
led. 

Where a midsequence headed by a lower card than 
the 8 occurs, the fourth-best lead is still in vogue, in 
suits of four or five cards. In suits containing six 
or more cards, the fourth-best card is led if a proper 
midsequence is lacking, unless the fourth-best card is 
higher than the 7. To avoid the lead of the 8 or 9, 
which may be mistaken for a midsequence lead, the 
fifth card is led. Thus the 5 is led from A-Q-io- 
8-5-3, '^o avoid the lead of the 8. But rather than 
lead the lowest card from a 5 -card suit like A-Q-io- 
S-s, the 8 is still led. 

There are two excellent reasons for these deviations 
from the old fourth-best lead. One is because the de- 
clarer frequently derived more benefit than pone did 
from that lead. The lead of a high card and the sight 

123 



of all the cards of his side averaged to be more valuable 
to the declarer than to the player who saw only half 
the cards of his side. The lead of a supporting card 
which can well be spared saves many a trick which 
the regular fourth-best lead loses. 

The occasional great utility of the lead can be il- 
lustrated by a simple example: eldest hand holds 
K-io-9-8 of a suit; dummy holds J-7-4; pone has 
Q-S-2; declarer has A-6-3. If the 10 is led, pone 
need not play his queen unless dummy's jack goes on. 
If the 8 is led, pone must play his queen, since the 
fourth-best lead tells him that the declarer has one 
card higher than the 8. It may be A, K, or 10. It can- 
not be the 9, for then the eldest hand would hold 
three honors, two of them being in sequence, so that 
an honor would have been led. When there can be 
only one possible way to win all the tricks in a suit, 
you must asstime that those conditions exist, and you 
must play as if you saw them. Consequently pone 
must asstune from the 8 lead, that partner has A-K, 
and that declarer holds the 10. His assumption causes 
him to play his queen. As a result, both adverse ace 
and jack win tricks. With the 10 lead only the ace 
can win. The reasons why the fourth-best lead is so 
illuminating will be found under *' Conventional 
Plays." 

The lead from a midsequence of only two cards in a 
4-card suit frequently causes the loss of a trick which 
the fourth-best lead would save. Six times in 10 an 
adversary will also hold four or more cards of elder's 
4-card suit, and can thus outrank the leader's lowest 
card. In the long run with 4-card and s-card suits 

124 



it dees not pay to lead from a midsequence of fewer 
than three cards. 

In leading from a sequence always lead the top card, 
unless that is the ace; in this case lead the king. On 
the following round lead the lowest card in your hand 
sure to win a trick. This is to show the length of 
the sequence. From A-K-Q-J-io-8 or K-Q-J-io-8 
lead the king. On the second round lead the lo. 
The third round lead the lowest remaining card of the 
sequence — in this case the jack. At no trumps your 
partner cannot tell whether you hold the ace or whether 
the declarer is saving it to win the third round. In 
any event, the sequence is so long that it cannot matter 
to your partner. At trumps it Vv^ould be evident that 
you held the ace, or the declarer would have won the 
first trick. In case the 9 fell to your king you would 
lead the 8 instead of the 10 for the second round, since 
the 8 will win as surely as the 10 after the 9 has been 
played. It is your partner's business to note the fall 
of the 9 and to interpret correctly your lead of the 8. 
At trumps, unless you open the suit after all trumps 
are exhausted from your partner's hand, the second 
lead of a very low card of a sequence might possibly 
fool him into thinking that you held only the ace, 
king, and the low card, and were offering him a ruff 
to enable you to save the ace for future use. Hence 
the safer way to lead from a long sequence at 
trumps is to go down in regular order, K, Q, J, 
and so on, instead of at once showing the number in 
sequence. 

Never lead from the middle or bottom of a sequence, 

either carelessly or to fool declarer. It is almost cer- 

125 



tain to fool your partner and may cost you several 
tricks, as well as your partner's confidence. 

Do not expect partner to follow suit twice to win- 
ning cards of your long suit (or to follow once and win 
the second trick), and still be able to lead you back a 
third round. It can be done 63 times in 100 if you 
only hold 4, 54 times if you hold 5; but only 42 times 
when holding 6, and 32 times in 100 if you hold 7 of 
the suit. Where high cards are probably insufficient 
to clear a suit this probable inability of your partner 
to lead a third round necessitates in many cases a 
low opening lead when you hold no re-entry. Such 
procedure loses the first trick two-thirds of the time, 
but it gives the pone enough better chances to lead a 
second round (if he holds re-entry) to more than com- 
pensate for the times you might be fortunate enough 
to clear the suit, had you made high leads at first, in 
order to catch opponents' unguarded honors. 

Take this suit, A-K-J-X-X-X, without re-entry. 
If you open with the top honors to try and catch the 
queen your average chances to establish it are only 48 
in 100. If you open with the king to view dummy, 
and then temporarily abandon the suit, if dummy lacks 
the queen, in order to secure a lead through the de- 
clarer, your chances are only a fraction better. If you 
lead your fourth-best card, the chances are 63 in 100 
that you will finally establish your suit. You also 
gain 18 tricks in 100 deals over either of the first two 
methods. But if you open with your jack to force 
out the queen, your suit can be established 65 in 
100 times. You also gain 27 tricks in 100 over meth- 
ods No. I and No. 2, and 9 tricks in 100 over using 

126 



the fourth-best lead. With only 5 cards in the suit 
the fourth-best lead is slightly better than the jack 
lead, and it is still better than the jack lead when you 
hold only four cards in the suit. But these differences 
are so very trifling that they are apt to be outweighed 
by the chances that partner will prefer to try the estab- 
lishment of his own best suit in preference to helping 
you, unless you disclose your great strength by an 
honor lead. If your fourth-best card happens to be 
very low, or if it happens to be so high as to appear 
to be a supporting lead or top of a low sequence, 
partner may readily think that your suit is hopeless. 

Without re-entry, more certain results accrue from 
leading out the honor immediately belov/ the missing 
one than by attempting to catch it by means of higher 
leads. With proper cards of re-entry more gain comes 
from high-card leads. You then add your chances of 
re-entry to partner'^ small chances of being able to 
lead your suit. This method averages to gain about 
one-quarter trick per hand over the method necessary 
when no re-entry is held. 

The second no-trump lead from a suit like A-Q-J- 
X-X, if the king does not cover your queen lead, will 
be the jack, but the third lead must depend upon cir- 
ctmistances. If the king lies well guarded in dimimy, 
the declarer may refuse to play it upon the queen 
because he believes that you are leading from the top 
of a sequence^Q-J-io and others, and that your partner 
holds the ace. In that case the deception is kept up 
by a second lead of the jack, which will probably be 
passed also. If the king still has a guard and pone 
and declarer have followed both times, the 10 must 

127 



have been drawn, and none of the suit remain except 
those held by yourself and dummy. If you are with- 
out re-entry the ace must be played to save that 
trick and to note from his discard what pone wants 
led. If you have re-entry your three remaining cards 
will win two tricks, and the other must be surrendered 
to dtmimy. If your re-entry card is perfectly safe, and 
especially if it belongs to dummy's strongest suit, 
your best plan is to lead out your ace, followed by a 
small one for dummy to win. Your remaining card of 
the suit will then be good. If your partner shows by 
his discard, at the time your ace is led, that he holds 
a suit of real value, it depends upon the certainty of 
your re-entry whether you should next clear your 
suit or whether you should lead the pone's suit at once. ' 
If you believe that his suit will be worth two tricks 
more on an immediate lead than it will be worth if he 
has to wait, you can abandon your hope of winning 
another trick in your own suit. It is never good 
policy, however, to abandon a sure trick on a mere 
chance of gain. If the declarer's side seems able to 
run out a solid suit before you can hope to re-enter, 
the delay may ruin your partner's hand, but adverse 
suits requiring establishment will give your partner 
plenty of chance for re-entry, and you can clear your 
own suit at once. 

Upon an opening lead of queen from A-Q-J-X-X, 
two out of three times the king will lie with pone or 
declarer. The ace lead is an urgent demand for pone 
to underplay his highest honor, to enable you to see 
what opposes you. The king or queen lead is a some- 
^''hat Jess imperative demand to do this, while the lea4 

128 



of a jack or lo is still less urgent. If pone holds three 
to the king, he may unblock in the regulation style, 
followed in many places by playing his middle card on 
your queen and overplaying your jack with his king. 
The simplest and most satisfactory play is, however, 
to overplay your queen with the king, to show where 
it lies, and to lead back his next highest card. It is 
useless to hold up a high card unless it is needed to 
catch something shown by dummy. If the declarer 
holds three or four to the king he will, in all probability, 
let you win the first trick. It is likely that you cannot 
tell until the second round how the cards are distrib- 
uted, and the only thing to do is to lead the jack on 
the second round, regardless of the other cards you 
hold. If the king does not fall on the jack, the ace 
must follow, and next a small card, if you have re- 
entry. If you have no re-entry and dummy's hand 
leads you to believe that your partner may have a 
third card of your suit, you can stop the suit after two 
rounds and try to put your partner in with another 
suit, in order to secure a lead of your own suit through 
the declarer. Without re-entry, and without hope 
that yotu* partner has a third card of your suit, the only 
remaining thing to do is to lead your ace and then 
abandon the suit for one which may help your partner. 
Being blocked on the third round of a suit is more 
than twice as serious as being blocked on its second 
round, because your partner's chances to hold three of 
your suit are more than twice as good as his chances 
to hold four. On that account it is better to be blocked 
the first or second round than on the third. The de- 
clarer knows this and acts accordingly. 

129 



Holding A-Q-J, the most common divisions of the 
suit are as follows : 



// you have a 


The others will 


Aft 


er the opening I 


total 


of 


usually hold 




they will hold 


4 




4-3-2 




3-2-1 


S 




3-3-2 




2-2-1 


6 




3-2-2 




2-I-I 


7 




3-2-1 




2-I-0 


8 




2-2-1 




i-i-o 



As the missing king can rarely be more than singly 
guarded on the second round, the jack lead will usually 
bring it out, but the ace lead on the second round will 
probably cause a loss on the third round, with all that 
it entails. The comparatively few times an ace will 
be lost through such play will be more than made up 
by the number of times your partner can lead you a 
third round, if your original suit holds 4 or 5 cards. 
With a suit of over five cards the chances to hold you 
up until the third round are small. The chances, 
however, that partner can lead a third round if you are 
held up are still vSmaller. 

The ace-queen- jack combination is no more impor- 
tant than various others. The reasons for entering into 
a discussion of several of the many problems which 
may arise from its opening is merely to illustrate 
certain points liable to come up on any combination. 

I. If the first lead is lower than a missing honor to 
draw it out and fails to do so, the second lead should 
usually be made with the same object in view. Let 
an unavoidable block come as early as possible^ to 
enable your partner to lead back your suit. 

130 



2. With a trick to lose and one to gain in a suit by 
playing its last cards, whether or not this should be 
done must depend largely upon what you can hope 
from your partner if you refrain. 

3. It may pay temporarily to abandon a long suit 
while your partner has a return lead, if you have no 
re-entry, and if the declarer can block you, to try and 
put your partner in so that he can lead through the 
declarer. 



TRUMP LEADS 

At trumps your best course as side player ordinarily 
is to win tricks with your strong cards of plain suits 
before the declarer can make discards and ruff. Also 
to utilize a weak trump suit in ruffs before trumps are 
led. 

A marked difference in the *' blind" (or opening) 
lead exists between trumps and no trumps. The 
proper lead varies from the normal if your partner 
has bid. 

There are six general varieties of blind openings at 
trumps : 

1. Leading from a sequence of high cards, or from 3 honors, 
as king from A-K and K-Q, or jack from K-J-io. 

2. A strengthening lead, queen, jack, 10, or 9, as the top 
of a suit. 

3. Leading a singleton, except the king. This latter card 
is never led unless accompanied by ace or queen. 

4. Long-suit openings. 

5. Low-card leads from short suits. 

6. Trump attack. 

Honor leads, either from long or from short suits, are 
generally the most efficacious. The lead of a winning 
honor other than the ace can rarely be criticized. An 
opening lead of the king from A-K, especially if the 
suit is short, is always good, as it enables you to view 

J32 



dummy's hand before deciding what to do next, with- 
out losing control of your opening suit. 

Strengthening leads from sequences like Q-J-io or 
J-10-9 are not only apt to be useful to partner, but 
often result in winning later tricks with your own cards. 
It often happens that two higher cards, and occasionally 
three higher honors, fall on your lead of a low honor. 

Short suits containing strengthening cards, even if 
not in sequence, when such cards are not likely to win 
on a finesse, are proper to open with the top card. 
Such a lead from Q-J-X, Q-J, J-io-X, J-io, 10-9-X, 
lo-X, 9-8-X, 9-X, serves a double purpose: it may 
draw a winning card from dtimmy or save pone from 
playing a valuable high card. It also shows your 
partner that you have no higher card in the suit to 
which he can lead. It rarely does harm, and may 
greatly assist your partner. A strengthening card is 
probably useless for you to hold, and forms an impor- 
tant feature of the defensive tactics required by a weak 
hand, or by one holding tenaces up to which leads are 
desired. 

A singleton ace is always a fine opening if 3'ou wish 
to ruff that suit. Any other high singleton is apt to 
prove a disappointing lead, as it will probably be mis- 
taken for a strengthening card, and your partner will 
not return the suit for you to ruff. The lower the 
singleton the more apt you will be to secure the desired 
ruff. Opportunities to trump should not be sought if 
you hold the "blank" ace of ti*umps, two trumps 
headed by king, three to queen, four to the jack or 
10-9, five of any kind. The one exception to the rule 
not to ruff when holding a guarded tnmip honor is 

133 



when dummy is over all your trumps, so that they are 
worthless except for ruffing. With six trumps or over 
you can seek a ruff. 

Six tricks average to be won by trumps, and the 
average side suit can be ruffed by some one after the 
second round. Consequently long-suit openings, to 
be profitable beyond short-suit openings, with equal 
top cards in both cases, must be when your hand is 
suitable for offensive tactics, having strong trump 
support, or else abundant re-entry in the other two 
plain suits. In either of these cases the long suit 
can be established, and used to force the declarer to 
ruff until his hand is exhausted. 

Unless the top of a low sequence or an intermediate 
card can be distinguished from the lowest of that 
suit, your partner may misread your lead. Because 
your lowest card ordinarily requests a return of the 
suit, if your partner has not bid on it. If you do not 
want it returned, refrain from low-card leads if you 
have another suitable lead of an honor, a strengthening 
card, or, in some cases, a trump. 

Trump attack can be advantageously made only 
under certain conditions. It is proper with a doubling 
hand, one strong in trumps, with either a powerful 
side suit or with scattered high cards of plain suits. 
Do not lead your partner a trump if he has doubled, 
unless your hand is strong in trumps, or unless it has 
some trump strength and can also render outside help. 

Holding nothing in plain suits, you can commence 
a trump attack from a sequence of high trumps, as 
A-K, K-Q-J, K-Q, or Q-J-io. This will pull trumps 
out of your weak opponent, and prevent his ruffing. 

134 



It may so reduce the declarer's hand as to enable your 
partner to get in a long plain suit without being ruffed. 
When your partner has shown no suit, if you have 
to make the opening lead from a hand not warranting 
trump attack, the following table shows, arranged in 
order of their average desirability, the plain suits from 
which leads should be made. 



OPENING LEADS AT TRUMPS 



r 

Class I -{ 
I 

l 



A-K 

A-K-Q 

A-K-5: 

A-K-U'-X 

A-K-X-X 



J 



Class 2 



Class 3 



Class 4 - 



A-K-Q-X-X 
A-K-X-X-X 
A-K-Q-X-X-X 
A-K-X-X-X-X 



A only 



More than 3 out of 4 times these suits will win 
the first two tricks, because neither opponent 
can ruff. They give similar chances to win the 
Miird trick; with the queen, if dummy has just 
three of the suit; otherwise by opening a new 
suit of which dummy lacks the ace. 

) These suits are more apt to be ruffed on 

[_ first or second rounds, but give even chances 

( of winning three straight tricks by opening 

) a new suit on the third lead. 

Gives practically a certain trick with an 
opportunity to discover from dummy's 
hand what partner probably most de- 
sires led. 



Such suits offer i in 3 chances of finding 
the ace with pone. In any event, the 
command of the suit is retained, even if 
the first trick is lost. 



K-Q 
K-Q-J 
K-Q-X 
K-Q-J-io 
K-Q-J-X 
K-Q-X-X 
K-Q-J-X-X 
L K-Q-X-X~X 

r Singletons lower than king "^ 

- Sequences to Q, J, 10 or 9 I Offer i in 3 chances that pone 

y can win the first trick, but do 
not retain the suit command. 



Class 5 -l Doubletons to 10 or 9 
Long low suits 



Short low suits 



J 



A-Q-io, A-J-io, and K-J-io, with or without 
smaller cards, are powerful when led up to, but are bad 
to open on the blind lead. If the missing honors lie 
with diunmy they can be opened later, since he can 
evade your strength, regardless of how the lead comes. 
If the missing honors lie with declarer a gain comes 
through some one else opening the suit. 

135 



For similar reasons all tenaces and combinations of 
two honors not in sequence are bad to open blindly, 
as: A-Q, A- J, K-J, K-io, Q-io. So also are suits 
of low cards headed by a single honor. If the ace 
is led from a low suit you catch only the lowest card 
each player has, but when some one else opens the 
suit a high honor is apt to be killed, possibly greatly 
to your benefit. Three-card suits, unless containing a 
high sequence, also 2 -card suits, without a high top 
card, are useless to open on your own account, and 
may cause your partner to lose a high honor, perhaps 
the king, which otherwise would have won a trick. 

The proper card to play from a given combination 
not only must be the one giving the best chances to 
win the maximum, but also it must be selected with 
reference to giving all possible information to your 
partner. If you hold both ace and king, it is evident 
that you will as surely win the first trick whether the 
ace or the king is led, but if you play them in ascend- 
ing order (king, ace) it means you have at least one 
more card; while playing them in reverse order (ace, 
king) means that your suit holds only the doubleton. 
Similar differences in the play of other combinations 
convey wholly different meanings. 

The ace lead shows either a suit composed only of 
itself and the king or else a suit of any length which 
lacks the king. It denies holding the king with any 
other card. 

The king lead always means that the ace or the 
queen, or both, are also held. It denies holding the 
doubleton ace. A singleton king is never led, as it 
stands better chances of winning if some one else leads. 

136 



The queen opening denies having either the ace or the 
king. It means that the jack is also held, either alone 
or with one or two others, or else that the queen is a 
singleton. It is not led as a doubleton lacking the 
jack, because it may win on a finesse or help partner 
more if another player opens the suit. 

Jack is led from K-J-io combinations, but othenvise 
denies holding a higher card of the suit. It is led from 
J-10-9, regardless of suit length, from J-io with one 
or two others, also as a doubleton with the 10, and as 
a singleton. 

The ID, 9, and 8 are sometimes used as top-of-an- 
intermediate sequence (or midsequence) lead, other- 
wise they are only used as given below. The 10 denies 
holding another honor with most players. But, as 
already noted, a few players still cling to the old lead 
of 10 from K-J-io combinations. It is led from 
10-9-8, regardless of suit lengths, from 10-9 with one 
or two others, as a doubleton with any lower card, 
and as a singleton. 

The 9 is led only as the top of a sequence of any 
length, as a doubleton with any lower card, and as a 
singleton. 

Any card lower than the 9 may be the top of a 
sequence of any length, an intermediate card of any 
suit, a doubleton, or a singleton. If led as the lowest, 
or as the fourth-best card of a long suit, it should in- 
dicate the leader's hope ultimately to win something 
in that suit. Reserve very low card leads for "come- 
on," and try to help yoiu: partner with a strengthening 
lead if all else fails. 

If you open with a winning card so that you view 
10 137 



dummy's hand, seeking a favorable suit to open, re- 
member that it is folly to lead through too great 
strength (like A-K), but proper to lead through 
any suit having a high missing card or two (like A- 
Q, or K-J). In the latter case your partner may 
win two tricks with the A-Q if you lead through 
dummy; but your partner can win only a single 
trick with the same cards if he is obliged to lead 
up to dummy's strength. Any tenace, or fourchette, 
shown by dummy (unless you hold the missing inter- 
mediate card) offers a good suit through which to 
lead. 

King and low cards in dummy offers another good 
suit to open. If your partner holds the ace and queen 
of the suit, he can win with both of them, whereas he 
could not do so if he were forced to open it. A suit in 
dumm^^'s hand suitable for opening on the blind lead 
is useless to lead through. Thus K-Q-J-X or the 
K-Q-X is not good to lead through, as they are good 
opening suits; but A-X-X-X is not bad to lead 
through. The ace is bound to win sooner or later. 
B}" letting it win at once you are perhaps clearing the 
way for your partner to win the next trick or two with 
the king and queen. 

Singleton leads are not alwa^^s easy to read. If 
they are very low cards they are more apt to be read 
than are higher cards. If the reading is easy, and the 
declarer wins the lead, trumps will almost certainly 
be led to prevent the threatened ruff. For these rea- 
sons singletons take fifth rank in the list of desirable 
leads, instead of first. 

Notwithstanding its drawbacks, the hope of a ruff 

138 



is often all that weakness has, and should be sought in 
such cases by an opening lead of a singleton, regardless 
of its denomination. A doubleton headed by a 
strengthening card is all right to open from weakness, 
but only lead from a low doubleton as a last resort. 
The mischief you may cause by fooling your partner 
will average to outweigh your rare gains. 

An established long suit cannot be run out until the 
declarer's trumps have been exhausted. An attempt 
to do so usually results in the declarer ruffing from one 
hand and discarding from the other, consequently a 
second suit soon falls short, and is ruffed when your 
side attempts to lead it. Ruffing from the w^eak hand 
and discarding from the strong hand ruins plain suits 
in which tricks could otherwise be won. If dummy is 
very short in your established suit, or, for that matter, 
in any other, holding at the same time a few small 
trumps and a very long suit which may be established 
against you, a cross-ruff may follow, dummy ruffing 
one suit and the declarer another one. Cut this off 
by leading trumps. Cut off dummy's chance to ruff, 
whether or not the *' see-saw" threatens. 

Under ordinary conditions an ace is rarely led on 
the blind opening. Its appearance commonly betokens 
extreme weakness, and usually shows one of two things: 
that it comes from a doubleton, preliminary to an 
attempt to ruff; that it comes from a very long weak 
suit to prevent a slam. 

After dimimy's cards are boarded it is useless to 
treasure a tenace of which the intermediate card lies 
in dummy. If you have ace-queen and dummy 
shows the guarded king, you can lead the ace when 

139 



convenient. The declarer will hardly be kind enough 
to lead the king up to your tenace. 

If you hold three to the king and dummy fails to 
show the ace, you can lead a small card away from 
the king if you find that the declarer does not open the 
suit. It is probable that your partner has the ace, 
quite likely both ace and queen. It is unlikely that 
the declarer holds both ace and queen, or he would 
have tried to lead up to them from dummy. In any 
event, your king cannot be harmed by your lead, and 
great good may follow. If the ace shows in dummy, 
or if your king is singly guarded, you should not open 
that suit. 

The table of ''Opening Leads at Trumps" shows 
(under Class 5) that long low suits are, next to short 
low suits, the poorest possible ones to open. Remem- 
ber that a side suit averages only two rounds before 
some one can ruff it. Only its quick tricks, its major 
and minor tenaces, or, at the worst, its guarded king 
and queen, are worthy of consideration as possible 
trick- winners, unless the declarer can be run out of 
trumps. If you open a suit headed by an ace, you must 
always lead the ace on the blind opening, and nearly 
always do so at other times. You cannot blindly lead 
away from an ace or a tenace. Leading off an ace, 
unless for a particular reason, is also an abominable 
lead. Leading away from a king is usually bad. If 
all your side suits are like any of these you had better 
lead a low trump to inform partner that all your suits 
should be led up to. 

Sometimes your only possible opening is from a long 
suit headed by a single honor lower than the ace. 

140 



open this with your lowest card, to make it unmis- 
takable if a return lead is desired. Lead your 
fourth-best card at trumps only under special circum- 
stances. Adopt this helpful practice, if you do not 
want a return of your long suit and have no other 
suitable to open: lead the top card of a sequence or 
the top of an intermediate sequence, or, if those are 
lacking, you can lead an intermediate card of the long 
suit. If you must open from one of the long suits 
shown below, and hold cards to which you want leads 
in other suits, lead the lo in the first case, the 7 in the 
second, and the 6 in the third case. 10-9-4-2, Q-7-6- 
4-2, 9-6-4-2. Your partner will not waste time in 
returning your weak suit, but he will either lead win- 
ning cards from his own hand, or else he will lead back 
to dummy's weakness, through the declarer's strength, 
and give you a chance to make cards in a suit which 
you yourself cannot properly open. If your best suit 
is the Q-7-6-4-2, then lead the 2 instead of the 7, to 
request the return lead. Sticking to the rule that a 
low card generally desires an immediate return of a 
suit greatly increases your chances of a ruff with a low 
singleton lead, without detracting from your chances 
if the singleton happens to be a card not recognizable. 

It seldom pays to lead low from a long suit unless 
headed by either the king or queen, and jack is the 
lowest card worthy of such a lead. Avoid the long- 
suit lead whenever a lead can be made from any suit 
ranking higher in the table of *' Opening Leads at 
Trumps." 

The sole advantage of the fourth-best lead at trumps 
is when the declarer's side is only slightl}^ stronger than 

HI . 



opponents*. Then the accurate information conve^^ed 
by the fourth-best lead permits the side players to 
utilize the long suit to the best possible advantage. 
This often results in pretty end plays which win a 
trick or two more than any other opening can yield. 
When the declarer, as usually happens, is much stronger 
than his opponents, chances to save a slam or game, or 
to set his high opening bid, are frequently lost by 
bothering with a long suit, instead of garnering the 
few possible tricks which more direct methods could 
save. 

Perhaps the fairest statement to make as to the rela- 
tive value of fourth-best leads from long suits, and of 
leads of the lowest card of a long suit — only when the 
immediate return of the suit is desired, is this: the 
latter is more simple, and hence better adapted for 
general use; the former will be apt to win as many, 
or perhaps even more tricks in the long run, but the 
latter will be likely to save more points. The former 
method saves tricks generally worth only 6, 7, 8 or 9 
points each. The latter method saves slams and games, 
it prevents contracts from being filled, and thus saves 
50 or more points at a time. 

Great trump strength and a side suit of more than 
4 cards, or the long suit with two shorter suits strong 
in cards which cannot be led may be held. In either 
case you usually want your long suit played to force 
the declarer. If your fourth-best lead is unlikely to 
be misread you can make it, instead of leading your 
lowest card, in order to derive all possible benefit from 
its informatory value to partner. Of course the lowest 
card of four mu$t also be its fourth-best card, but with 

142 



a longer suit you can refrain from leading the fourth- 
best card unless you believe that your side closely 
approaches the declarer's in strength. If your partner 
knows that you disapprove of the fourth-best lead at 
trumps, your departure in unnecessarily making such 
a lead will clearly show him your reasons for so doing. 
If you adopt the above rational use of the fourth- 
best lead at trumps, using it only under special circum- 
stances, it will only complicate matters at such times 
to introduce the midsequence lead, and the consequent 
avoidance of fourth-best leads higher than the 7. 
Reserve the last variation for no-trump leads. You 
can, however, always use the midsequence lead at 
times when no immediate return of your long suit is 
desired. Under the special conditions where you de- 
sire to play out your long suit a straight lead of your 
fourth-best card will be more informative than any- 
thing else. If, on the contrary, you really believe in 
the regular use of fourth-best leads at trumps, you had 
better use the system with or without its variations, 
just whichever system you play at no trumps. 



LEADS TO PARTNER'S STRENGTH 

Your partner shows strength if he bids or if he 
doubles. In most cases this subordinates your hand 
to his, and your opening lead must take this into 
consideration. 

In general, partner's previous bid of a specific suit 
calls for your lead of that suit, whether the final declara- 
tion is played at no trumps or at trumps. Sometimes 
an adverse shut-out bid prevents your partner from 
showing strength except by doubling. You are then 
obliged to open your own best suit. His use of either 
the Pat ton or Whitehead double always shows no- 
trump strength in 3 suits. The latter double also dis- 
closes great weakness in the suit which he has doubled. 
It sometimes happens that the next bidder shuts your 
side out from bidding, after your partner has made 
one of these doubles. Here again you must open your 
best suit. 

If your partner has doubled a high-opening trump 
bid, or if he has used the Whitehead double and your 
side has then been shut out from further disclosures, it is 
probable that the least desired opening lead is a tramp. 
Because he has doubled you must subordinate your 
hand to his and must play his game. If he has not bid 
when you hold a long suit headed by an ace, the wisest 

144 



thing to do is to view dummy, in order to see what 
your partner desires led. His trump strength may be 
very great either in high cards or in length of suit. 
He may have unusual side strength, perhaps an estab- 
lished suit with which he trusts to force the declarer. 
He may reckon upon using numerous small trumps to 
ruff side suits. Lacking a winning card, lead from the 
suit you have bid, or if you have not bid lead your 
strongest suit to show him where you can help. If 
you cannot help, open with a strengthening lead to 
show that you are powerless. 

If an opponent has secured a trump contract over 
partner's no-trump call, when you hold strength in 
the other three suits, you can show this situation by 
leading a trump. This lead tends to reduce the play 
as soon as possible to a no-trump basis. 

If partner has bid no trump it is almost never proper 
for you to seek a ruff. Your opening lead should show 
your strongest suit instead of your weakest. 

Do not lead an ace from a short suit if the king is 
lacking. That ace is too valuable to be risked on an 
opening, when it may be needed to kill a high card 
lying with the declarer. Reserve the ace and open 
with your next best suit. 

One reason for ordinarily preferring to open your 
partner's suit in preference to your own is that it is 
easier to establish a suit by leading up to it than by 
leading away from it. This is especially true when it 
happens that dummy has doubled or has gone over 
your partner's bid. 

You must have a most excellent reason for not lead- 
ing the suit which your partner has bid. Many games 

145 



are lost by attempts to be smart and pull off a coup 
in another suit. 

If you hold both ace and king of another suit, you 
should lead the king before opening your partner's 
suit; then keep back the ace and open his suit. The 
king lead shows him you hold the ace so he can put 
you in later. 

If you have a set-up suit, or re-entry and a suit 
which can be set up with a single lead (Hke A-Q-J-io- 
X or K-Q-J-io-X or K-Q-J-X-X-X), it is better to 
open it than your partner's suit at no trumps. It is 
most unlikely that the declarer would risk two such 
adverse suits, and consequently your suit is undoubt- 
edly better to open than your partner's. 

A rather unique situation sometimes presents itself 
where a singleton lead can be very advantageously 
made before you open your partner's suit. Say part- 
ner's 3-Heart bid has been overcalled with 3-Spades 
at a time when your hand is like this: 



spades 


Hearts 


Clubs 


Diamonds 


A-4-3 
K-Q-5-2 


9-6-5-3 
J-7-4 


8 
J-io-6-3-2 


O-J-9-7-4 
4 



or 



In the first case lead your singleton club, and in 
the second case lead your only diamond. If your 
partner happens to have the ace and wins the first 
trick, you have done no harm, and unless his heart 
suit is set up he will doubtless return your lead. Prob- 
ably the declarer will win the first trick and start 
leading trumps. In the first hand you will immediate- 
ly stop him with the ace. In the second case you will 

146 



win either his first or second lead with the queen. As 
soon as you have won, you will open your partner's 
heart suit wherein he is apt to win the trick. Then 
he will return your short suit and let you ruff. You 
again lead hearts, and he again lets you ruff. In this 
v/ay you can utilize one or two small trumps which 
otherwise would never win a trick. If your partner's 
hearts are not fully set up, the scheme may fail, but it 
is well worth a try. Ordinarily, singletons should not 
be led on your partner's double, or, if he has shown 
strength by bidding, unless they are aces. This par- 
ticular card distribution makes it the best possible lead 
at trumps, provided your partner has a solid suit, or 
sits over dummy's honors in that suit. 

If your partner has both bid and doubled, nothing 
but the possession of a set-up suit or the lack of one 
of your partner's suit can justify your first leading 
yotir own suit, with the exception of a single pre- 
liminary lead of the king, to show him you have an 
ace to which he can lead. 

When your partner is the strong hand he is entitled 
to have his suit opened in any rational way he prefers. 
With positions reversed he must open your suit in your 
way. Partners must not play at cross-purposes. If 
partner insists upon absurdities, if you cannot quietly 
induce him to change his views, you had better avoid 
him in the future. 

Both at no trumps and at trumps the general rule 
is for you to open with your highest card of partner's 
suit. The number you hold of his suit and the bidding 
frequently modify this general rule. 

If i-No Trump is bid over your partner's call you 

147 



must assume that the declarer holds a probable stop 
to that suit. If your partner has bid Two, fotuth 
hand, over i-No Trump, and the partner of the original 
no-trump bidder goes 2-N0 Trumps, you must assume 
that the suit is stopped at your left, instead of being 
stopped at your right, as in the first case. Holding 
three or more of your partner's suit to a high honor, 
the card you should lead depends upon which side of 
you the stop appears to be. If the stop seems to be at 
your left you had better lead off your highest card of 
partner's suit. If the stop appears to be at your right 
you can lead low, in order to retain part of the suit's 
strength back of the declarer. Lead your top card 
with fewer than three of partner's suit, or when you 
hold only three without a high honor, regardless of 
which opponent holds the stop. 

Your objects are to clear partner's suit before he 
loses re-entry, to try to catch high adverse cards, to 
avoid unnecessarily blocking his suit, and to show as 
clearly as circiunstances will permit what high cards 
and the number of his suit you hold. The methods 
already given usually accomplish your objects to the 
best advantage with a trained player. Less skilled 
players may misread your leads unless you start with 
the highest of their suits, or, at least, if you lead low 
unless you have supported them. In the latter case 
they can hardly suspect your lead of being either a 
singleton or your top card. If you do not support 
a beginner's bid and, for example, lead the 6 from 
K-9-8-6 he will often mistake it for the top card you 
hold. If he wins the first trick with the ace from A-J- 
10-7-5, when dummy shows the singleton 4, your 

148 



partner is apt to place both king and queen with the 
declarer and abandon the suit instead of leading back 
his jack through declarer's queen. 

At trumps, as already stated, number showing is 
nearly always of less value than showing your high 
cards. So in the long run you will win most by leading 
the highest card you hold of your partner's suit. 



CONVENTIONAL PLAYS 

Conventional plays are utilized by side players to 
offset as much as possible the declarer's advantage 
derived from playing two hands. Unnecessary con- 
ventions should be avoided, since they will not be 
understood by strangers, and only tend to obscure 
more important ones. Conventional bids, doubles, 
redoubles, and opening leads have already been given. 
Echoes, calls, and discards are also employed to con- 
vey invaluable information. No secret code between 
players is permissible. All players are entitled to 
know what conventions are to be used. Those given 
here are so generally understood that no explanation 
is needed before using them with strangers. 

RULE OF ELEVEN 

The fourth-best card is the conventional lead at 
no trumps when an honor cannot be led from great 
strength. 

The number of pips on any fourth-highest card led, 
deducted from ii, shows the number of cards outside 
the leader's hand which are higher than the one led. 
This is known as the **rule of eleven.'' If a 7 is led 
it shows that 4 higher cards are held by the remaining 

ISO 



players. If dummy holds 2 higher cards, and the 
leader's partner has 2, it proves that the declarer can- 
not win the trick from his own hand, and thus permits 
the leader's partner to save his higher cards if dimimy 
*' ducks" the 7 (plays a lower card than the 7). 

Your partner may lead the 8, for example, from 
K-J-9-8-5. Deducting 8 from 11, you realize that 
outside his hand there are only 3 cards capable of 
winning over his lead. Dummy shows Q-6-2, and 
you hold A- 1 0-4. It is at once evident that the de- 
clarer's hand is helpless, with not over 3 small cards 
of the suit, and that your partner must hold at least 
three others, including K-J-9. Consequently, you 
reserve your ace and win the first trick with your 10 
upon the play of the 2 from dtunmy. You return the 
lead with your ace, then lead your 4. Your partner 
overplays the 4 with the king, captures the queen, 
and has cleared his suit so that each of its remaining 
cards wins a trick. 

If the leader's fourth-best card is below a 6, the in- 
formation conveyed is small, but it always shows how 
many high cards are lacking in his suit. This enables 
his partner to decide whether he holds a more readily 
establishable suit than the leader. 

THE ECHO 

The most used and most useful signal is the ''echo/' 
It is given by playing or discarding an unnecessarily 
high card of a suit, followed on the next opportunity 
by a lower card of the same suit. 

It is most commonly employed to call for a specific 

151 



suit to be led by partner, either at trumps or at no 
trumps; to request him to lead a third round of a suit 
he is playing at trumps; and to show him at no tnunps 
the number held of a suit he has opened. 

PLAIN-SUIT ECHO 

The ** plain-suit echo" is used only at no trumps, 
to show four or more cards of the suit your partner is 
leading. Play your second highest card on his first 
lead when not holding winning cards, your next high- 
est card on his second lead, and so on until you have 
only two cards left. Your highest card is then played, 
and last of all your lowest card. With 10-8-5-3-2, 
you would play them in this order, 8-5-3-10-2. The 
echo, followed by a still lower card, thus shows more 
than 4 of the, suit. The echo, then a higher card, shows 
just 4 of a suit. 

In some circles the unnecessary custom of echoing 
with only 3 cards of partner's suit is followed. If only 
8-5-3 ^^^ held the cards are played 5-8-3. Thus the 
first two cards in ascending order, followed by a lower 
card, show three of partner's suit. In New York it is 
customary to play three cards thus, 3-5-8. Just as it 
is a general custom to play two cards thus, 3-5. 

This logical play of cards at no trumps serves the 
double purpose of disclosing to your partner the num- 
ber held and of avoiding blocking his suit. Having 
left until the last your highest original card and your 
lowest, you can win a trick at any time and still re- 
turn your partner's lead. 

Your echo in this case shows that the declarer can 

152 



hold few of your partner's long suit, and offers your 
partner encouragement to continue the suit, which he 
might abandon if he believed the declarer's suit to be 
very long and yours to be very short. 

UNBLOCKING 

Carelessly *' blocking" the run of partner's suit con- 
stitutes one of the worst possible offenses. 

*' Unblocking" is effected by means of the plain- 
suit echo, as already explained. Nothing else is needed 
except in cases where you hold honors in a partner's 
suit. If these honors are necessary to catch a card 
which otherwise would win a trick for dummy, they 
must be retained for that purpose. On a low lead from 
partner honors are used to try to win the trick and to 
return his lead. If not needed for this purpose, honors 
should be *' underplayed" or ''overplayed" on high 
cards led by your partner, both to avoid blocking him 
and to ease his mind concerning where they lie. If 
your suit contains over 4 cards, a high enough card 
must be retained to win over the last card of the suit 
which your partner can play, so that you can make 
good your last cards of the suit. Keep track of the 
cards played, or else your 5 -card suit may block a still 
longer suit held by your partner. 

More tricks are lost by underplay than by overplay. 
Never hesitate to take away your partner's trick with 
a card of his suit not actually needed to set it up. If 
dummy is very short of partner's suit the declarer may 
be long. In such cases avoid unnecessarily playing an 
honor which may be needed to «lear partner's suit. 

11 ^53 



Unblocking methods apply especially to no-trumpers, 
although they can be used equally well at tnimps after 
trumps are exhausted, or if it is desirable to ''force" 
the declarer (make him unwillingly trump a suit by 
continually leading its winning cards). This latter 
process is a splendid way of weakening the declarer's 
hand, but should never be attempted when the ''weak, 
hand" (the non-declaring adversary) can ruff, while 
the strong hand can follow or discard. 

With a shorter suit than your partner's a high card 
must be held up in a case like this: 

Queen is led from Q-J-io (or Q-J-9) and others, 
dummy shows K-7-5, 3^ou hold A-8-2. Unless 
dummy's king is played on the first or second round the 
ace must be retained to catch the king, although doing 
so will block the suit. It is better to have you block 
the suit and win the trick than to have dummy block 
it and win both the trick and the lead. 

In a case like the following, however, you should 
not hold up a high card, since dummy can outwait you: 
Dummy shows Q-6-3, you hold K-7. Whether an 
honor or fourth-best card is led, you must put on your 
king. If you hold off, your partner may abandon the 
suit, particularly if the declarer should win the first 
trick. In any event, holding back your king will block 
the suit. The queen will probably be withheld until 
the third round and block it again. Moreover, if a 
fourth-best card is led, failure to put on your king may 
enable the declarer to win the first trick with a low 
card, perhaps a singleton. Possibly the declarer holds 
both a low card capable of winning over the fourth- 
best lead and the ace; in this case he can win three 

154 



tricks in your partner^s suit if you fail to put up your 
king. If you hold ace and another, instead of above 
cards, the ace must go up the first time. 

Holding either ace or king, with one or two others, 
with three to the queen in dirnimy, on a jack lead do 
not overplay if the queen is held back. It is better 
for you to block the suit than to have it done by the 
declarer. If you block your partner's suit you will 
try to find his re-entry; but the declarer will try to 
avoid it. The jack m.ay be from A-J-io or K-J-io, 
with others, or from a suit headed by J- 10-9. In the 
first two cases your holding back will result in your 
winning every trick in the suit. In the last case, the 
declarer will either be forced to put up his highest 
honor or to lose the trick. 

If the hands are reversed, and you hold three to the 
queen, while dimimy has a short suit headed by the 
ace or king, what you must do depends upon your 
partner's style of game. If he is apt to lead short you 
must play your second-best card on the jack lead. If 
he wins the first trick you must then play your queen, 
even if dummy's ace or king goes on. The only reason 
for refusing to j lay it the first time, with a partner 
prone to lead short, is to avoid helping declarer estab- 
lish the suit. If partner follows the best practice of 
avoiding short leads, you must overplay his jack with 
your queen on the first round, and return the lead if 
your queen holds the trick. 

With 5 or 6 cards of a suit, you probably have a 
longer suit than your partner; unless your partner 
leads a very low card you cannot be certain of this 
imtil the declarer is forced to make his first discard or 

15s 



unless dummy's suit is long enough to prove that the 
leader cannot hold over four of the suit. 

In such a case, if your partner leads winning cards, 
do not interfere with him. He is clearing the suit for 
you. If a card led is not certain to win the trick, you 
must overplay, if certainly able to win it. When you 
can outplay all your partner's remaining cards take 
the lead away from him. If you hold the winning 
cards you had better take away his lead on the second 
round, or he may believe the declarer is waiting to 
win the third round. 

With your partner holding A-K-Q-J-7, when you 
have 10-8-6-4-3-2, your regular play of 8-6-4-3 will 
cause your 10 to win over his 7 on the fifth round. If, 
however, he held A-K-Q-7, you would have to be on 
the watch to play your 10 on the fourth round, instead 
of your 3, or your suit would be blocked. 

THIRD-ROUND CALL 

The *' third-round call" is an echo from the leader's 
partner when a king is led at trumps, to request that 
the suit be led 3 rounds, because the partner can win 
the third trick either by ruffing or with the top honor 
not held by the leader. 

An opening lead of a plain-suit king at trumps always 
means that its leader has also the next card to it — 
either the ace or the queen, or both. You accordingly 
know that your partner has the ace if he opens with 
the king when you have the queen. Vice versa , you 
know that he holds the queen if you have the ace. 

If you hold three cards to the ace or queen when 

156 



the king is led, you know that your partner can win 
the first two untrumped rounds of the suit, and your 
echo informs him that you are able to win the third 
round unless tnmiped. 

When you hold only two cards of the suit from which 
a king is led, if you are both able and willing to trump 
the third round, you echo to state that fact. 

It is useless to echo if dummy's suit is shorter than 
your own. It is also useless if you and dummy each 
hold only two cards of the suit if his trumps all exceed 
your own in denomination. In either case dtunmy 
would win by ruffing, unless the declarer held the 
queen, and a trick would be lost through the echo. 

If you and dimimy jointly hold more than 7 cards 
of the suit, you should not echo, even if you hold ace 
or queen. If you and dummy jointly hold 8 cards 
of the suit, you know that your partner and the de- 
clarer have between them only five of the suit. Con- 
sequently, either your partner cannot lead a third 
round or else the declarer can ruff it. 

The leader must disregard the echo if he and dtunmy 
originally had 9 or more of the suit, since his partner 
and the declarer can hold only 4 of the suit between 
them, and the declarer can ruff the third round over 
the pone. There are many cases where it is desirable 
to keep on leading a suit to weaken the declarer by 
forcing him to ruff, but these cases lie outside the 
province of the convention in question. 

The third-round call, as outlined here, has safe- 
guards not employed in the ordinary *'call-for-a-ruff " 
and ''down-and-out" signals, and for that reason is 
to be preferred to them. Players who show by the 

m 



echo the queen, as well as ability to ruff the third round, 
average 13% more tricks on the call than those who 
only echo to show the ruff. 

At times a trump is too valuable for other purposes 
to spare it for ruffing. There is never any obligation 
upon you to ruff in such a case, and you have merely 
to play your cards without using the echo. 

It is usually incorrect to echo with an honor, but 
at times it is best to echo even with a queen. If you 
hold only Q-J when partner leads the king you can 
underplay the queen if you do not desire a ruff. This 
will insure partner's lead of a small card to your jack. 
If you first play the jack a green player may lead his 
ace to see what you will next play. On partner's 
opening ace lead, play jack from K-J-io if queen is 
in dummy, and play 10 from Q-io-X if king is in 
dummy. Various other similar situations arise where 
echoing with an honor is desirable. Some players 
habitually echo with the 10 from lo-X, but no player 
ever regularly uses a higher honor in this way to call 
for a ruff. If jack is in dummy and you should echo 
with 10-2 on partner's king lead from A-K, he might 
read the queen in your hand, so you must be careful 
to drop the 2 on his king. Although many players re- 
fuse to echo with the 10, in the long run it pays to 
echo with io~X when your meaning cannot be mis- 
taken. 

CALL FOR A SUIT 

You request partner to lead a specific suit, either at 
trumps or at no trumps, by means of your discards. 
An echo in a suit is a request for that suit to be led 

158 



to you. If you believe that you will have only a single 
discard before another suit is led, you must start your 
echo with a card sufficiently high for partner to realize 
that it is not the lowest one you hold. Any card 
higher than the 7, even if the echo is not completed, 
is usually interpreted as a signal to *' come-on." Al- 
ways use the highest encouragement card that you can 
spare, to distinguish it from a discouragement card. 
If you cannot well spare a high card of a suit, at a time 
when 2 discards are possible, the discard of your lowest 
cards of the 2 suits you do not desire led tell by in- 
ference that you desire the remaining suit led. 

THE DISCARD 

The combination discard is now used almost every- 
where. It combines ability to call for a suit by means 
of a single unnecessarily high card, or by an echo, 
with ability to disapprove of a suit by means of its 
lowest card. 

Two cards of any denomination call for a suit if 
played in reverse order, or reject a suit if pla^^ed in 
normal order. The six lowest cards discarded singly 
reject a suit, the seven highest cards discarded singly 
call for a suit. 

The first discard made is usually the most impor- 
tant to note. Late discards should not be considered, 
unless made very emphatic by an echo, or by the 
unnecessary discard of an honor, since it often happens 
that late in a hand cards of moderate size must be dis- 
carded from a suit not desired, to protect another suit 
from attack. 

159 



If you note that your partner does not discard from 
a particular suit you should try to guard the one from 
which he is discarding, and discard from the one he 
appears to be guarding. 

Always remember that a discard from great strength 
means only the loss of a single trick; but unguarding 
a weak suit, or failure to save one or two cards of your 
partner's strong suit, may mean the loss of several 
tricks. 

If you have no suit which you desire led, at least 
you probably have a suit in which you can save a trick 
or two if you discard wisely. As a general thing 3 -card 
suits suffer more from discards than either longer or 
shorter suits containing equally high cards. Two- 
card suits and 4-card suits are next worst, and suffer 
about equally. Next come i-card suits and 5-card suits, 
which also suffer about equally from discards. Six- 
card suits suffer less damage than any previously men- 
tioned; 7-card suits still less, and so on. 

Considerable experience is required to tell even ap- 
proximately what can best be spared from some hands. 
It is folly to hoard up all the cards of a long suit with- 
out re-entry cards if your partner cannot put you in. 
Late in the hand some one will probably be forced to 
lead the suit, but in the mean time all chance to stop 
another suit, or to help your partner establish his long 
suit may have been wasted by discards from your weak 
suits. On the other hand, if the chances to play out 
a long suit are promising, discards had better be risked 
elsewhere. With ace and queen of a suit wherein you 
hold the *'doubleton" king, showing in dummy on 
your right, and the declarer leading a long suit, it may 

j6q 



be necessary to ''blank" your king to save guards to 
another suit. If the ace of a suit of which you hold 
the king lies at your left, with Q-J-io at your right, 
you cannot well spare even one of several guards to 
your king. 



ELDEST HAND 

Eldest hand, or *' elder/' is the player on declarer's 
left, the player who makes the blind lead. After the 
opening lead any player who wins a trick becomes the 
*' leader'' for the next round. Leader, or *' first hand," 
*' second hand," '* third hand," and ''fourth hand" are 
titles showing the order of play on a given round. 

Opening leads to meet all circumstances will be 
found in chapters: '*No-Trump Leads," ''Trump 
Leads," and *' Leads to Partner's Strength." 

FIRST-HAND PLAY 

After the opening lead eldest hand should continue 
to lead winning cards if he has them, in most cases; 
but it is folly to go on with a losing suit unless for a 
special purpose. 

At trumps you can lead through dummy's strength, 
try to give partner a iniff , attempt to establish a cross- 
ruff, force the strong hand, or lead a trump to prevent 
dtmimy from using a trtunp or two in ruffing a short 
suit. 

At no trumps your original suit had better be con- 
tinued, unless your partner has refused to lead it back 
and you desire to substitute his suit, or unless you find 

162 



too great adverse strength, even if pone returns your 
lead. 

Should dummy have a nearly established suit at no 
trtimps, with an ace and small card for his only re- 
entry, while you hold the king and others of his re- 
entry suit, lead out your king, to prevent anything 
except the ace winning. If dummy passes the king 
lead out your small card to complete your removal of 
the re-entry ace. 

Dummy's cards, and those already fallen, are ad 
ditional guides to the best play for eldest hand after 
the first lead. These may decide him to continue 
with his original suit, or to open another one. At 
trumps he must especially avoid permitting the weak 
hand to ruff. Either at trumps or at no trumps great 
care must be used not to play off winning cards and 
thus leave the rest of the suit set up for the declarer's 
future use. At no trumps it is particularly bad to 
open new suits for the declarer, and assist him in their 
establishment by letting go cards which otherw^ise 
would block his play. Your partner may have some 
use for re-entry eveaif you have not. At no trumps, 
especially, discontinue leading a suit only when it is 
evidently contrary to your interests to continue, 
either because of too great adverse strength or because 
another much better suit is disclosed. 

Your partner may fail to return your suit for three 
reasons: because he has none, because dummy dis- 
plays too great strength in the suit, or because pone 
believes his suit to be better than yours, since more 
tricks are to be had from it, or because of its easier 
establishment. 

163 



You cannot expect further assistance on your suit 
if pone has opened one of his own. The first thing to 
attempt is to discover why yoiu* partner opened the 
new suit. The answer must lie either in dummy's or 
pone's cards. If the exposed cards of your suit are not 
especially strong, the change of suit comes because 
pone's cards demand it, and his lead should show as 
clearly as possible whether it is because he holds great 
strength in the suit he opens or because he holds none 
of your suit. In the latter case he is probably leading 
up to dummy's greatest weakness, trusting to luck to 
gain re-entry for you. If it is apparent that the pone 
is merely doing his best to assist, you can go on with 
your own suit. When it is clear that he has a better 
suit than yours the change of plan must be made on 
your return lead. If the case is doubtful, you had 
better abandon your suit, if it is at all weak, to see 
what his suit can offer. 

In a case like this following you must resume your 
own suit immediately upon re-entry: 

You lead either the 9 or the 8 (according to whether 
you use midsequence or fourth-best leads) from A-J-9- 
8-5-3, the declarer plays low from dummy's 10-6-2, 
pone overplays your card with the queen, and de- 
clarer wins with the king. Then the declarer opens a 
suit wherein dummy has ace-queen, and loses the 
finesse to pone's king. The latter opens the only suit 
in which you hold re-entry, and puts you in. As you 
have five straight tricks in your own suit you must 
restime it, and later on see what you can do to assist 
your partner. Should the declarer win the first trick 
with the 10, and still hold over you the K-Q-7, the 

164 



case becomes very diflferent. With your sole re-entry 
gone, or unless you hold enough re-entry in your own 
hand to establish your suit, you must abandon your 
suit for partner's. 

Before making a change of suit it is ordinarily best 
to win a sure trick in your first suit if it is unlikely to 
be opened again; but it is unwise to do this if you 
have no lower stop, because that leaves the suit in such 
condition that the declarer can make an easy trick or 
two. If your original suit is quite apt to be reopened 
by the declarer, a desirable change of suit should be 
made before playing your winning card from the original 
suit, since it affords you re-entry for future use. 

In case your opening lead has been lost your partner 
may have called for a suit in his discards to the de- 
clarer's leads. If you happen to re-enter before your 
partner does, it is often quite difficult to know whether 
to continue your own suit, or to lead the one requested 
by pone. His call may merely show a desire for a lead 
through dummy, because the latter overtops all pone's 
honors, or it may indicate ability to win a single trick, 
or it may possibly show a solid suit. If your own suit 
requires the active co-operation of your partner to be 
valuable, it is best to answer the call at once, unless 
you can see that the declarer must lead pone's suit 
later, and that pone cannot have any great strength 
in it. Nothing less than a surety on your own suit 
warrants disregarding a possible call from a solid suit. 
The ace is often the best discard to show such a con- 
dition, and must never be disregarded beyond the time 
necessary to lead out your own winning cards in other 
suits. 

165 



While your partner's discards can be made most 
significant, those of the declarer are apt to be pur- 
posely misleading. 

A return of your no-trump lead by pone merely means 
that he lays no claim to having a better suit of his own, 
beyond that it is quite non-committal. All his plays 
must be studied to determine what he desires for his 
share in the game. A return of your lead at trumps 
with a low card, instead of a lead to some great weak- 
ness in dimimy, probably shows ability to ruff the third 
round of your suit. His lead of a new suit up to pro- 
nounced strength in dimimy should show a singleton 
at trumps. If dtimmy's suit is very long it may pos- 
sibly be done in the belief that you can ruff. 

The usual rule, when having nothing very particular 
from which to lead, and being in ignorance of the 
pone's desires, is to lead through dtmimy's strength 
in plain suits. 

At no trtimps the declarer presumably has strength 
in at least three suits, or abnormal strength in one and 
something in one or two more. A lead through 
dummy's unbid strength is consequently less apt to be 
of advantage to the pone than a lead through a very 
weak suit of dummy's. In the first instance the de- 
clarer probably possesses the missing strength, while 
in the latter case it is usually divided between declarer 
and pone. 

Pone's failure to return your lead with a card higher 
than dummy holds of a low suit should mean that the 
declarer has all the missing strength. An original lead 
of pone up to K-J-X in dummy, with much vv^eaker 
suits also there, is apt to be made, hoping that you 

i66 



hold the ace and can then return the lead through to 
pone's queen. 

Ordinarily, the best card to lead through strength is 
the top of a sequence or the highest from small cards. 

SECOND-HAND PLAY 

The following rules are helpful to both eldest hand 
and pone at second-hand play. The former can use 
more discretion than the latter in their application, 
because the cards coming next after the pone are 
concealed. 

1. Holding a fourchette over a card led, never play lower 
than its upper card. (Thus, play the 7 on the 6 led if you 
hold the 5 also). 

2. Cover an honor led, even if the dummy can outplay it, 
unless a special reason exists for ducking — such as possessing 
the lowest cards of a long suit headed by a single honor. 

3. It is generally best to cover a card led in sequence to 
those in a strong dummy. It may enable your partner to 
win a later trick. 

4. It is useless to cover in above case if dummy is so strong 
that no hope exists for your partner to win a trick in the 
suit. (Your only chance lies in the declarer running out of 
the suit, so that dummy will finally be forced to lead a losing 
card up to you. Thus under No. 3 it is best to cover the 
declarer's 10 with the queen from three, when dummy shows 
A-K-J-X, because four to the 9 in partner's hand can win 
a trick. Under No. 3 it is useless to cover the declarer's 10 
with queen from four, when dummy shows A-K-J-X-X-X. 
It is impossible for either pone or declarer to hold over two 
of the suit with eleven cards in sight. It is possible that 
the declarer is leading a singleton, and,, failing to drop the 
queen from your hand, he may overplay his 10 and make 
your queen good for the third or fourth round, depending 

167 



upon whether he overplays with his jack or king on the first 
round). 

5. Hold command of the opponent's long suit at no trumps 
as long as possible, to run their short hand out of leads. 

6. Do not cover a clearing-card lead with a winning card 
unless holding back may cause you to lose it later. (On a 
queen led up to dummy's J-10-9-X-X with the ace un- 
played, do not cover with the king from three or four. 
Your partner may have the ace. If the declarer has the ace 
he cannot catch your king, and by holding back you can prob- 
ably prevent him from establishing the suit). 

7. Holding 2 honors in sequence and a low card, ^^ split 
honors'' on a low lead by covering with the lower honor. 

8. Save honors barely guarded, like K-X, Q-X-X, 
J-X-X-X, at the first opportunity. Hold back well-guarded 
honors to give your partner a chance to win with a less- 
favored card. 

9. Play low on a low lead, unless you can split honors or 
cover with a card from a fdurchette, or can save a badly- 
guarded honor. 

10. Play the smallest of a long series of low cards which 
fail to hold a fourchette over a low lead. The higher cards 
may later win a trick. 

11. Win a trick cheaply to save your partner from playing 
a higher card. 

12. Do not hesitate to sacrifice a high card to force one still 
higher out of dummy, if doing so will enable either you or 
your partner to win a later trick. 

Always know what you are going to do and play 
quickly, but avoid the appearance of unnatural haste. 
Both hesitation and ostentatious assurance in playing 
cause the declarer to ponder the probable cause. 

The detection of what the declarer is attempting 
when he opens a suit often shows what you should play 
to most hamper him. He may desire to clear a suit; 
merely to put the lead in dummy's hand in order to 

168 



open up another suit, and have the lead come up tc 
his own tenace; to deprive your side of a re-entry 
card, or make re-entry for dummy; to pull out your 
trumps; to gain a ruff from dtunmy's weak hand; to 
start a cross-ruff; to lead up to dtunmy's strength on 
one suit, and back to his own on another suit. Always 
try to discover just what he is attempting to do, as it 
will sometimes enable you to defeat his purpose by 
departing from a general rule. 

The following are examples of constantly recurring 
cases where individual thought is needed to make the 
best play of eldest hand's cards on leads by the de- 
clarer. 

Suppose that the declarer leads the jack up to 
dummy's A-Q-7-4 when you hold K-9-8-5. You 
can see 9 cards. It is possible that yoiu* partner 
holds 4 cards to the 10; but if the declarer has another 
card of the suit to lead it is certain that the pone can- 
not stop the suit unless you force out the ace. Even 
if the declarer has all the remaining cards of the suit, 
your 9 must eventually win a trick if you cover with 
the king and force the ace; consequently, you should 
do so. This comes under Rule 3 (Second-Hand Play) 
in a general way, but belongs more especially to Rule 
12. If dirnimy had shown the, 10 also, you would not 
have covered, because the Q-10-7 would still domi- 
nate your 9-8-5, and your partner could not possibly 
win a trick. This would come under Rule 4. 

Suppose jack is led up to a ragged suit in dummy 

like A-9-6-2, and you hold Q-8-5-4. You do not 

know where the K-i 0-7-3 li^- If pone holds the 

king, even as a singleton, either his king or your queen 

12 1^9 



is bound to win a trick. If declarer holds the king 
he may attempt to finesse the jack, or if you do not 
cover he may overplay with the ace and lead back 
to the king in his own hand. If he also holds the lo 
and another he may then attempt a finesse of the 9. 
The chances are better than even that the pone holds 
either king or 10, and he may have the latter doubly 
guarded. If he does hold the latter combination the 
declarer has only one more card to lead, so that your 
queen will be safe. If declarer has only one more it 
is fairly certain that it cannot be the king, or he would 
have led it first. It is useless to play the queen, under 
all the possibilities. This is covered by the exception 
under Rule 2. It also comes under Rules 5, 6, and 8. 
Under Rule 7 you would play the queen from 
K-Q-X if a low card were led up to A-J-X-X in 
dummy. If you were to play the king instead of the 
queen you would fool your partner, who would credit 
the declarer with holding the queen. Later on you 
might greatly desire entrance, but your partner, be- 
lieving you did not hold command of that suit, would 
not lead it to you. As fooling the declarer would be 
useless, the queen and not the king should be played. 
Do not expect to fool a seasoned player with a freakish 
play. If you hold A-Q-X and dummy has K-J-X-X, 
do not expect that your play of the ace on a low lead 
to dummy will make the declarer believe that pone 
holds the queen. If you fear that the suit may not 
be led again before the declarer can ruff, or if you are 
in a hurry to re-enter, you must play the ace. To 
attempt to win two tricks you must play low, hoping 
that the declarer will misread your holding, and that 

170 



he will try to shut out the queen by playing dummy's 
king. As a matter of fact he will probably finesse the 
jack, but the chances that an expert will not do this, 
if you play the ace the first round, and play low the 
second round, are still smaller. What you should at- 
tempt depends largely upon the quality of an op- 
ponent's game. 

While most of the rules relate particularly to no- 
trumpers, at trtunps it is sometimes better to wait 
before playing a high card of even a plain suit. As an 
example, suppose you hold A-X when a small card is 
led up to dtunmy's K-J. The chances are about 
80 to I that declarer has more of the suit. If he holds 
the queen and you hold back the ace on the first round, 
nothing is lost. If the declarer does not hold the 
queen and you play low, he may attempt a finesse of 
the jack, and your partner wall win with the queen. 

Another case, even at trumps, where it is ordinarily 
better to hold back the ace on the first round, is where 
any card lower than the king is led by declarer, with 
not less than 2 small cards in dummy. If your partner 
has the king he will win; if the declarer has it your 
ace will still be good. 

As a genera] thing at trumps it is useless to hold back 
from covering an honor, especially if the dummy and 
yourself jointly have over 6 of a plain suit led, or if 
either of you w411 be able to ruff on the third round. 
There are special cases, however, where it will pay to 
hold back on account of w^hat you believe partner may 
hold, or in the hope of later on forcing rufifs from the 
declarer by leading the winning cards of a plain suit. 
If jack (or 10) is led through your suit containing king 

171 



(or queen) with one or two low cards to dummy's A-io 
(or A-J), you are often advised to cover, in order 
to force the ace and thus leave the queen (or king) 
good, if the pone holds it at least once guarded. As a 
matter of fact, if you do not cover and the dummy's 
ace is not used in overplay, your partner will win 
even with a singleton queen (or king). If the de- 
clarer gets cold feet at the last moment and overplays 
with the ace, your king will be good. When you hold 
either the king or queen, and the other does not show 
in dummy and is not led, your best chance is to wait, 
even if you have only a doubleton. 

If a low lead comes through your Q-J to dtimmy's 
A-K-io it depends upon circrunstances w^hether you 
had better play the jack or false-card with the queen. 
The latter play may frighten some players into believ- 
ing that you hold no more. Sharp players expect such 
false-carding and suspect that you also hold the jack. 
With them it will be safer not to false-card, since the 
jack will lead them to believe that you hold no more 
or you would false-card. Players usually fall into the 
rut of uniformly false-carding in such cases. You must 
note such players and act accordingly when playing 
against them. If a habitual false-carder plays the 
jack under above circumstances, you feel sure that he 
lacks the queen. Experts rarely false-card against 
equals, and on that account when they do so the result 
is apt to be favorable. 

Probably the most troublesome thing to the majority 
of players is to know when to play the king, if they are 
led through by the declarer, with the A-Q and others 
showing in dummy, or when the queen is led and the 

172 



ace shows in dummy. The best thing ordinarily to do 
IS to follow the general rule of playing high from 2 
cards and low from more than that niimber. General 
rules 2 and 4, previously given, cover the case. If 
your king is singly guarded and there is a chance that 
pone may later be able to take a trick, you had better 
cover the queen; but if a low card comes through, 
and the ace, queen, jack and others show, it is best to 
hold off until the second round. 

Suppose that you hold K-X-X at no trumps, a small 
card comes through and dummy shows A-Q-J-X-X, 
but lacks the 10. Some players put on the king, be- 
cause they say that if the declarer has another card 
to lead the king must surely fall, because the ace will 
be led on the third round. With nine cards in sight 
the pone has in 100 chances 22 to hold all four missing 
ones, 27 to hold three, 27 to hold two, 22 to hold one, 
and 2 that he holds none at all. Unless he holds four 
he cannot save the 10. There are 22 chances in 100 
that the declarer has not another card to lead, and if 
he has you force him to use up a re-entry card in his 
own hand to lead through you again if he finesses the 
dummy's jack on the first round. By holding back 
the king, if the pone has four to the 10, the only way 
the declarer can act is to abandon the suit or make 
his second lead direct from dummy, which will result 
in your side making both king and 10 good. At first 
sight it might appear that it would be useless to hold 
back the king, still we can see that it adds nothing to 
your chances to play it, and you may win an extra 
trick by waiting. 

If the ace and small cards only appear in dummy 

173 



and the queen is led through your king, a careful 
analysis of what will happen with the jack and lo 
variously located in the hand of declarer or pone and 
accompanied by varying numbers of cards shows the 
following general rule can be made: Cover the queen 
in each case except where your suit is longer than 
dummy's. In that case, of course, your king will be 
good after the ace is played. 

Similarly, if you hold three or more small cards and 
the queen, with jack led, the king in dummy and the 
ace invisible, you had better cover unless you hold two 
more in your suit than dummy shows. 

THIRD-HAND PLAY 

As the only cards to be played after eldest hand are 
exposed, third-hand play for eldest hand is very simple. 

The general rule to be followed at trumps or at no 
trumps is to win with the lowest possible card. If 
tmable to win, take care not to let dtunmy win too 
cheaply. 

FOURTH-HAND PLAY 

The last play to a trick is usually to win it as cheaply 
as possible. As already explained, occasions arise 
where a trick should not be won at no trumps, but 
they very rarely occur at trumps. 

Suppose at no trumps that dtmimy holds originally 
J-10-9-X-X-X-X clubs, and only a single outside 
card of re-entry. The declarer has the ace and queen 
only. You hold three to the king. Pone has a single 
club. The declarer leads the ace, followed by the 

174 



queen. If you play the king on his queen he will use 
dummy's card of re-entry to win 5 club tricks. By 
holding back the king dummy's hand becomes worth 
only a single trick with the card of re-entry, instead of 
being worth six tricks. 



PONE 

Pone sits at declarer's right, and is eldest hand's 
partner. He is also called youngest hand or younger. 

FIRST-HAND PLAY 

As pone you are under no obligations to return your 
partner's lead at trumps under the following conditions: 
if you hold winning cards in other suits; if you have 
high honor sequences or three honors in a different suit ; 
if you can lead up to pronounced weakness in dummy. 
If your partner has bid and has then opened a differ- 
ent suit, it is probable that he wants a lead oi his suit 
through the declarer. 

You may find it desirable to lead a trump through 
declarer because dummy is very short in one of your 
good suits, and you want to cut down his possible 
ruffs. You may hold A-X of a suit wherein dummy 
lacks the king, and desire a ruff. In this case you play 
the ace, followed by your remaining card. Or you can 
lead back a singleton if you believe that it will enable 
you to ruff that suit. Where none of the above rea- 
sons exist for changing the suit you should return the 
opening suit, unless elder led a strengthening card to 
^how weakness in the suit. In the latter case think 

176 



whether he can have a tenace in another suit, or a 
guarded single honor, to which he wants a lead. 
Unless a decided advantage can come through open- 
ing a new suit, it is best to lead back a winning 
card of the first suit, and also is usually best to do 
so if you believe that your partner holds its next 
winning card or can ruff. 

In general, return your best card of your partner's 
suit. At no trumps be careful neither to return nor 
to discard the lowest card you hold of his suit unless 
he holds fewer of them than you do. 

At no trumps it is often better to return your part- 
ner's lead, even up to dummy's major tenace (A-Q), 
than to open a new suit in w^hich you hold nothing. 
Your only excuse for opening a new suit, provided 3^ou 
can return your partner's lead, is a belief that the new 
suit can be established more easily, or contains more 
tricks. If you decline to return your partner's suit 
you must depend upon your own resources to set up 
your new suit. 

Use regulation leads in opening a new suit, just as 
eldest hand would. Avoid leads to or through an op- 
ponent's hand when he holds cards in that suit which 
are desirable to lead from. 

In leading up to dummy's weakness lead a strength- 
ening card if it will force the declarer to play a card 
higher than the exposed hand shows. Thus lead the 
9 from K-9-4-3 if dummy shows 8-5, in order to force 
a better card from the declarer. If your partner can- 
not beat the 8, your lead prevents dummy's cards from 
winning and coming back through your hand. The 
strengthening 9 also prevents your partner from lead- 

177 



ing back the suit in case he should win with the jack 
over declarer's lo, from A-Q-io. 

Study your partner's plays. If he has led an ace 
at no trumps and leads scientifically, he should have 
at least seven cards of that suit, including another 
honor, also re-entry. Try to detect what the other 
honor is. The ace lead is an urgent call to clear the 
way by playing your highest card, and should be 
heeded, unless dummy holds something like a singly 
guarded queen, while you have a similarly guarded 
king. 

If you have thrown your doubleton king upon an 
ace led when dummy held the singleton lo, and the 
second lead was won by the declarer's queen, you have 
no more of your partner's suit, but you know that he 
holds the jack, and re-entry in some other suit. The 
first time you win a trick it is your duty to attempt to 
lead eldest hand's re-entry suit in preference to fool- 
ing with one of your own. His suit is now set up and 
good for at least 5 tricks. Look for suits with aces 
and kings imlocated. It cannot well be a suit of which 
you can locate both top honors outside your partner's 
hand. 

Never attempt to show a suit by leading anything 
from it before trying to put your partner in the lead 
with a set-up suit, unless you can lead one of two re- 
maining winning cards to show that you hold the 
other. If positive of the suit your partner wants, you 
had better lead both your winning cards to provide for 
the contingency of his having no more to lead back. 
Then lead the suit which he wants. 

Pone, as well as eldest hand, must be careful not to 

178 



let the weak hand niflf, and must take out dummy's 
re-entry before he can establish a dangerous suit. 
Unless positive that your partner can win your return 
lead at no trumps, you had better lead to remove 
dummy's singleton ace of re-entry if he holds also a 
suit needing only one more lead to set it up. Of 
course, you merely waste time if the declarer still holds 
two cards in diunmy's dangerous suit, or if you hold 
a stop to diunmy's suit, so well guarded that the de- 
clarer will use up dtunmy's re-entry before he can 
establish the suit. 

No-trump blocks frequently occur through forgetting 
that your partner's suit should be returned with the 
highest card which you hold of it, or through discard- 
ing low from his suit. The high-card return avoids 
blocking, it gives him a supporting lead, and shows him 
a missing high card. If you simply wish to save one 
or, better still, two cards of your partner's suit, to lead 
in case you secure re-entry before he does, almost in- 
variably yovir discard of mediiun cards and saving the 
low cards will serve his purpose best. Not infrequently 
it happens that pone and eldest hand each hold four 
of the opening suit. If that occurs when you can lead 
to advantage to dummy's weakness, you can play your 
lowest card on the third round, and so win the fourth 
round with your highest card, in order to gain the open- 
ing lead for your new suit. Instead of wanting to lead 
up to dummy's weakness after running out your long 
suit as above, the desirable thing may be a lead through 
dimimy's strength. In this latter case you must be 
careful to unblock, in order not to win the last trick 
of the long suit. 

179 



Eldest hand discontinues holding up a tenace if 
dummy possesses its intermediate card, but the reverse 
is true with pone — it is useless for him to hold up a 
tenace unless dummy holds its missing card. If eldest 
hand has A-Q of a suit and the king is not in the 
dummy, he reserves this tenace, hoping to catch the 
declarer's king; but if the dummy holds the king with 
even a single guard, it is useless to preserve the tenace, 
so he plays the ace whenever convenient. If pone 
holds A-Q he reverses this process by playing the 
ace if the dummy does not show the king, but refusing 
to open that suit if dummy has the king. 

Unless hard pushed for something possible to open, 
do not lead up to dummy's tenace, whether you hold 
the intermediate card or not. Do not open up any 
suit in which you hold cards over dumm^y ; let some one 
else open such a suit. Lead trumps, or lead a card up 
to dummy's ace of another suit if he has no weakness 
to which you can lead. 

Sometimes toward the end of a suit you may hold 
something like 10-8-4, while dummy holds 9-7, the 
other two hands are void of your suit, and both are 
presumably able to ruff. If the declarer would kindly 
lead the suit to you it would be preferable, but it is 
your lead and nothing desirable is apparent. If you 
lead the 4 of the suit named, your 10 still dominates, 
and the declarer, being unable to place the 8 and 10, 
is apt to ruff very low, so that your partner can win a 
cheap trick. In any event, the lead has not done any 
harm if your partner cannot outruff the declarer. 

Either if you cannot or if you realize that it is useless 
to lead back your partner's suit at a time when you hold 

iSq 



tenaces in both of the remaining plain suits, you can 
lead from two or three small trumps through the de- 
clarer's strength, as a sign that eldest hand can open 
either of the yet unplayed suits. Instead of tenaces you 
may hold the king and small cards of a suit where 
dimimy holds a tenace, and in the other suit a king and 
small ones with the ace unplaced. If eldest hand holds 
the ace to one of the plain suits, upon receipt of such a 
signal he should lead out his ace, followed by a small 
card. It is possible that your signal may mean that 
you hold an ace of one plain suit and have no cards 
of the other and seek a ruff. This last use of the signal 
is unusual, and will cause the declarer to lead trumps, 
unless your partner happens to hold high cards in your 
void suit. 

SECOND-HAND PLAY 

The pone has little opportunity to deviate from 
stereotyped forms of second-hand play, because third- 
hand cards are always concealed. 

With the exception of Rule 3, the twelve rules al- 
ready given under '* Second-hand Play for Eldest 
Hand" also apply to pone's case, by making the word 
''declarer" read ''dimimy," and vice versa. Caution 
has to be employed in surmises as to what the de- 
clarer holds. 

Holding a suit which demands an opening lead of 
an honor, cover a small card from dummy with an 
honor. Thus play the 10 on a low card led through 
these suits : A- J- 1 o-X , K- J- 1 o-X , Q- J- 1 o-X , J- 1 o-X . 
Remember that you always lead the top of a sequence, 

181 



but you must follow on another's lead of the suit 
with the lowest card of a sequence. 

At trumps, precisely as if you were eldest hand, it 
is generally best to win your tricks as soon as possible 
before the suit can be ruffed. At no trumps hold back 
winning cards of opponents* suits as long as possible, 
both because it gives eldest hand a chance to make 
his high cards good and because it may result in using 
up opponents' valuable re-entry cards. If you can 
hold off long enough to see partner's discard it may 
prove valuable if you have no more of his opening suit, 
or if it has turned out to be hopeless, so that you seek 
another opening. If dimimy's suit is shorter than 
yours, your holding off when led through often gives 
you an added trick, because the declarer has to lead 
to you instead of through you. 

Declarer's lead of a suit at no trumps usually indi- 
cates that he holds several honors or many cards of it. 
The cards you see in dimimy and in your own hand 
sometimes enable you to gain by a departure from a 
general rule. 

Holding K-Q-X, on a singleton jack led from 
dummy it is always proper not to cover. If the de- 
clarer dares to finesse the jack, you must win one trick 
if you play low, and if he puts on the ace because he 
has a very long suit you will win two tricks. With a 
small lead from dummy's doubleton it is useless to 
cover the first lead from K-Q-X. You are sure of 
a trick, anyhow, and it is possible that 2 tricks may 
be won. 

Cover even a low-card lead if you hold a fourchette 
over it which is lower than your best card. 

182 



In discarding on opponents' leads at no trumps al- 
ways retain one card of your partner's suit, two if 
possible, so as to return his lead twice, except when 
you must unguard an honor in another suit to thus 
help him. Your duty Hes first to your hand, and only 
second to his. Where only a single card can be re- 
tained a low card is more apt to meet his needs than 
a high one. 

THIRD-HAND PLAY 

This part of the game is much more difficult for the 
pone than for eldest hand. The former has the de- 
clarer's concealed strength over his cards, while eldest 
hand plays with full information as to what dtmimy 
holds over him. 

The general Whist rule of ''third hand high** or- 
dinarily governs the play. If your highest card is one 
of a sequence, like K-Q-J, you will play the jack. 
If it wins you will return the king. If that wins you 
will lead your queen. If your jack, from Q-J, loses 
to the declarer's ace, your partner will know that you 
hold the queen, or the declarer would have won with 
the queen in preference to using the ace. Should you 
play the queen from Q-J, your partner could not tell 
that you held the lower honor, and would credit its 
possession to the declarer. 

If you hold Q-10-5 and dvimmy plays 9 from J-9-3, 
you will play the 10. Your cards and dummy's are 
in sequence, and you play in regulation manner the 
lowest card of the combined sequence. The play per- 
mits you to retain the queen over dimimy's jack, and 
still renders your holdings perfectly clear to your 

183 



partner. If the declarer wins with the ace or king, it 
is self-evident in the first case that you hold the queen; 
but in the second case it might appear possible that the 
declarer is false-carding and holds the queen as well. 

An absolute rule for third hand is, never finesse 
against a partner. This means that you must play 
your highest card on your partner's lead, except in 
two cases — viz.: 

1. When partner leads a supporting card on the chance 
of striking your strong suit, or leads a suit in which you have 
indicated strength either by bid or discards. He is then 
merely trying to assist you. The suit is yours to play as 
you deem best. 

2. When dummy shows a card impossible for your partner 
to catch. You can hold back a high card to prevent dummy 
from winning. This play aids your partner in the final 
establishment of his suit. 

To play the queen from A-Q and others, upon 
a low opening card led by your partner, is not proper 
if dummy shows nothing. Your partner probably 
holds the king, and you are finessing against his hand. 
At trumps he might be leading a singleton. If you 
play the ace in such an event and return his lead, you 
offer him the only chance he may have to make good 
a small tnrnip; but if you put up the queen the de- 
clarer will win with the king, and will probably lead 
trumps. Finessing against yotir partner's hand is one 
of the worst possible mistakes. Even if your finesse 
succeeds, it sometimes fools your partner on the loca- 
tion of your high card. A finesse which fails may even 
cause your partner to abandon a good suit because he 
thinks it is hopelessly against him. 

184 



At no trumps yoti may hold over a good card for 
several rounds if dtmimy refuses to play the honor 
over which you stand. At trumps it rarely pays 
to hold up an honor merely on account of what 
dummy shows, as the danger of finally losing your 
honor through a miff from the declarer is too 
great. 

Suppose that your partner leads a low card at no 
trumps, dummy shows only 3 small cards of the suit, 
and you hold K-J-X. Your partner self -evidently 
has not 3 honors in the suit, unless he holds less than 
7 to A-Q-io, or he would have led one of them, so it 
is practically certain that the declarer has an honor, 
possibly two of them, and holds less than 4 of the suit. 
You should play your king, which can only lose to the 
ace, and if you win you should lead back the jack. 
If instead of doing this you play the jack on the first 
round, you may lose to a twice-guarded queen, which 
could never have won a trick had you not finessed 
against your partner. The loss of this one trick may 
lose you the rubber, while saving it and having a suc- 
cessful contract the next hand might have won the 
rubber for you. If declarer holds the ace as an only 
honor, the king is no worse to play than the jack. 
With the 10 or queen it is better. If the declarer holds 
two honors it will make no difference, if the two are ace 
and queen, as you must lose two tricks whether you 
play j ack or king . If declarer holds A- 1 o-X or Q- 1 o-X 
it does not matter, since you and he will each win one 
trick. As the king can never be the poorer card to 
play, and in certain instances is the better card to 
play, a finesse of the second best cannot be justified. 
13 ^85 



So it is in all similar cases where dummy shows no 
strength in the suit led — the pone must play his 
highest card at third hand on his partner's opening 
low card. 

If the same card is led at no trumps when pone holds 
K-J-X, and an honor is in dummy, what pone should 
do depends upon dummy's honor and its guards. 
Suppose that dimimy has a doubly guarded honor. 
If it is the queen, pone must hold his king and play the 
jack. As already explained, this requires the ace to 
beat it, and consequently momentarily is the equal of 
the king in power. If the held-up honor is the ace or 
ID, pone must play his king and return his jack. Of 
course, the jack will lose to the ace, but it will clear the 
suit, and that is what the ''defenders'' ought to do — 
clear their suit before the declarer's attacks have robbed 
them of their re-entry cards. 

At no trumps, if a small card is led and you hold 
K-10-3, if dvimmy plays 7 from Q-8-7, you will 
cover with the 10. If the declarer has either a guarded 
jack or the ace it will be impossible to prevent his 
winning with one hand or the other. By holding the 
king you are preventing the queen winning, anyway; 
but by playing the king the queen must win, and if 
the declarer holds the ace you will lose two tricks 
instead of one. If diunmy shows one more card to the 
queen than you hold to the king, you should play the 
king on the first round and return the 10. If dtunmy 
holds Q-X-X-X, and the lead is a card which dummy 
cannot beat without playing the queen, and which you 
rueed not raise, you can hold the king, the second and 
third round playing respectively the 10 and king, so 

186 



that ultimately the queen must drop to the ace if your 
partner has it. 

Suppose that your partner leads 8, from A-J-9- 
8-4, dummy shows Q-6-5-2, you hold K-10-7. By 
applying your rule of eleven you see that the declarer 
has nothing to beat it. As you hold the 7, you know 
that partner is neither leading a midsequence card nor 
a strengthening card. Consequently you ''duck" by 
playing the 7. If the 9 follows and dummy refuses to 
play the queen, you overplay with the 10 and return 
the king. You are now unable to continue the suit, 
but if eldest hand can re-enter later on he can win 2 
more tricks in his suit. If you play the king on the 
first round and return the 10 the queen can finally 
win a trick. If partner leads his 9 instead of his 
fourth-best card the situation is the same. You know 
that he will not lead his 9 as the top of a sequence of 
only two cards, unless he is leading short. As that 
style of lead has practically vanished, you can safely 
read the lead as coming from a midsequence, with 
partner holding the ace, the jack, or both. In any 
event your play is the 7, just as before. 

Finesse boldly when desirable to retain a card over 
something in dummy which otherwise will probably 
win a trick. Return your partner's lead unless you 
have a better suit or can absolutely see that his suit 
must be hopeless. Apply the rule of eleven to leads 
lower than a 9; also see if a midsequence lead has 
been made. 

If there is but one way to win all the tricks in a suit, 
you must assume that those conditions exist and play 
accordingly. If Q-X-X appears in dimimy when 

187 



you hold A-J-X, assume that the jack will win if 
finessed, then lead the ace and return the small card 
for partner's king to win the third trick. Do not play 
the ace to the first round to catch the hypothetical 
unguarded king. If the king is there it is probably 
guarded, and two tricks will be lost. Even if you 
catch the unguarded king you will lose just as much 
by the queen winning a trick as if you had allowed the 
king to win. 

If partner's lead through dummy leaves the king 
there when you hold only A-Q, play the queen fi^rst, 
then lead back the ace, whether the king is guarded 
or not. It is useless to hold a singleton ace over a 
guarded king, and by holding it you cost partner three 
re-entry cards to clear his suit. By leading it back you 
enable him to clear in 2 re-entries. Moreover, your 
partner may think that the declarer has the ace, and 
so never give you an opportunity to play it, except 
at your own expense of a re-entry card. If you hold 
only A-Q and king does not show in dummy, always 
play the ace first and lead back the queen. If de- 
clarer holds the king, you may possibly catch it un- 
guarded, but the main reason is to show your partner 
both ace and queen. If you play the queen and the 
declarer captures it with the king on the first round, 
eldest hand thinks that he also holds the ace, and may 
stop the suit. In any event, the suit will be blocked 
twice, once by the declarer's king and once by your 
ace, thus costing two re-entry cards, whereas the other 
way it costs only a single re-entry card to clear it, pro- 
vided your partner holds the other two honors, jack 
and 10. 

188 



For similar reasons, when dummy shows nothing 
necessitating the hold-up of an honor, play ace to first 
trick and lead back queen, even if you hold A-Q-X 
or A-Q-X-X. 

Third-hand play for pone is less complex at trumps 
than at no trumps. On account of the liability of a 
ruff it very rarely pays to hold up a card because of 
what dummy may show. A card lower than your best 
can always be played when it is apparent from dummy's 
hand that it will be as efficacious as the best you hold 
in making declarer play high or in winning a trick. 
If your partner leads a very low plain card, it is pre- 
sumably either a singleton or else he has one of the 
high honors. If dummy shows Q-X-X and does not 
play the queen, the declarer probably is short-suited 
or holds an honor. If you hold A-J only, the liability 
of his being short is very slight — he perhaps holds 
the guarded lo. In this case if you finesse the jack it 
will win. Leading low from a card as small as the 
lo was sometimes good play at other games, but it 
IS a poor auction lead, and you must assume that 
partner will not do it. If the lead is a singleton the 
ace will win later on. Leading away from a king is 
a bad blind opening, of course, but sometimes a hand 
affords nothing better. Later on partner may have 
to open a suit of three or four to a queen, with dummy's 
ace or king over him. To prevent your leading the 
suit back, unless his second-best card can beat all 
except dummy's top card, he will then open with an 
intermediate card instead of opening low. 

A low-card opening lead at trumps calls for your 
best card, except in a very unusual case, as your part- 

189 



ner has something in his hand to which he wants a 
return lead. 

Deliberately forcing you to ruff when you both know 
that declarer can outruff you is a call to use your 
highest trump. This is sometimes done to force so high 
a card from declarer that partner can later win a trick 
with a trump which would otherwise fall with your 
own on declarer's trump leads. 

After trumps are exhausted the play of any suit is 
precisely as at no trtunps. 

Always keep your partner's opening lead in mind. 
You cannot always tell whether it is the top of a weak 
suit or is a fourth-best card. Make certain which it 
is as soon as possible, to avoid making a bad rettun 
lead. 

On a jack lead overplay with the ace unless both 
king and queen remain in dtmimy. On a queen lead 
overplay with ace unless king remains in dummy. 

Echo at trumps on a king lead if you hold ace or 
queen, or if you have only two of the suit, as explained 
under the *^ Third-round Call.*' 

At no trtunps carefully follow out the instructions 
given under *' Unblocking,'* so as not to stand in your 
partner's way. 

Aside from the obligation not to block your partner 
is the desirability to overplay or underplay on your 
partner's leads from a strong suit all high cards in his 
suit, which cannot in any way assist him. It is done 
to show him where they lie and encourage him to con- 
tinue the suit. This is only done when your suit is 
the weaker. 

On an ace lead, unless it is needed to catch a guarded 

190 



card in dummy's hand, throw your king or other honor, 
even if not possible to block. On a king lead overplay 
with the ace unless the doubly guarded jack or lo 
appears in dummy. 

On the queen lead overplay with the ace or king un- 
less a card shows in dummy, which self-evidently the 
remaining card in your partner's hand cannot catch, 
but which yours can take. His remaining honors on 
a queen lead are liable to be A-J, J-io, or J-9. 

On the jack lead from A-K-J, overplay with your 
queen unless the trebly guarded 10 shows in dummy. 
If the jack wins the first trick, in the latter case, your 
partner will credit you with holding the queen, and 
will let you win the second trick. Even if you block 
him with your short suit it will be better than being 
blocked by dummy later on, for you will try to lead 
to your partner's re-entry, while the declarer will do 
his best to avoid doing so. Similarly, on the jack lead 
from A-J-io throw your king or queen, unless needed 
to keep dummy out. 

Underplaying with any useless honor on an ace or 
king lead, or with the 10 on the queen lead, is less com- 
monly observed than overplaying by even good play- 
ers, but in reality this does much to smooth a partner's 
path. 

If dummy is void of partner's suit or even very short, 
care must be exercised at no trumps in assuming that 
high cards of partner's suit are useless to hold. If you 
and dummy jointly have only four of partner's suit the 
declarer may have five. While it will seldom profit 
to deliberately block partner by assuming that other- 
wise the declarer will win a trick, it will frequently 

191 



pay you to play your second-best card instead of your 
best one on partner's honor leads, whenever declarer 
may be long in partner's suit. When partner sees 
that dummy is very short, his next lead will be a low 
card to enable you to win the trick and return his 
lead. 

To properly meet emergencies it is very important 
that partner should strictly follow the system of leads 
already given, especially at no trumps. This is 
noticeably so on ace leads. These should always show 
another honor (except the king) with 7 or more in suit 
and re-entry. Never use it in any other way as a 
blind lead. The king must be led instead of the ace 
where both ace and king are held, regardless of the 
extreme length of the suit. The queen is similarly 
led from A-Q-J and jack from A- J- 10. That leaves 
the only combinations from which the ace can come: 
A-Q-io, A-Q, A-J, and A-io. Partner will hold a 
7 -card suit more than 7 times as frequently as an 
8-card suit. Therefore the ace lead must always be 
assumed as showing just seven cards of a suit. Your 
cards and dummy's show the probable nimiber held 
by declarer. Note also from your honors and dummy's 
the probable honor held by declarer. If you jointly 
hold king and jack, declarer may have either the 
queen, the 10, or none. If you can see only the king, 
you know that the declarer may hold the jack alone or 
he may have any two out of Q-J-io. If you do not see 
the king, it must lie with declarer. And so on. The 
adverse guarded king will surely block partner's suit. 
Play your cards on the assurnption that no block will 
occur beyond what you asstune is held against you, 

192 



If you and dummy jointly hold four of the suit, the 
declarer can have only two. If dummy holds the 
guarded queen you must hold back a doubleton king. 
If dummy holds a lower doubleton honor than the 
queen you must throw your doubleton king under the 
ace and assume that partner holds the queen. If you 
hold three to the king or queen, and diunmy holds none, 
you must play your second-best card on the ace, hoping 
for a low lead next time. 

On the lead of a high-winning card at trumps, in 
cases not coming under the third-round call, play as 
low as possible if you do not want the suit continued, 
as 3 from 10-8-3. If you do want the suit continued, 
play high, if you consistently can, so that eldest hand 
can see that either you can ruff or hold the next winning 
card, as 9 from K-9-2 when partner leads the ace. 

FOURTH-HAND PLAY 

The pone's play at fourth hand is similar to that of 
eldest hand, playing a winning card, in case the trick 
would otherwise be lost, unless he can gain an advan- 
tage by holding up. 



DECLARER 

The declarer is the player who has been awarded 
the contract, because his side has outbid the other side, 
and because he first made the call at which the hand 
must be played. 

To play well as declarer you must first know how to 
play in the side positions, so that proper deductions can 
be drawn from what each adversary does. 

The declarer can read each bid as readily as an op- 
ponent can. Signals and discards must be noted by 
him, to locate strength and weakness in each suit. 
Unblocking, finessing, false-carding, hesitation, or un- 
natural readiness in playing, looks of satisfaction or of 
disappointment, are all indicative of what an adver- 
sary holds. 

The rules for the guidance of eldest hand's and 
pone's play also apply to that of the declarer, with 
such modifications as his perfect knowledge of both 
his hands permits. 

After dummy's cards have been boarded, give a few 
moments' concentrated thought to the possibilities dis- 
closed by the joint cards of your two hands. Note 
established and establishable suits, re-entry cards, or 
where re-entry must be provided. Think over the op- 
posing bids. Determine which hand shall lead each 

194 



strong suit and where chances to finesse exist. If 
playing at trumps, decide on your style of game. What 
tricks probably must be lost with each game variation in 
sight? What tricks can you surely win? Can you 
make a slam, or must you stop at game, or will it be 
a hard fight to win your contract? 

The way a declarer handles his trumps is usually a 
good index to his ability as a player. While it is gen- 
erally best to lead trumps, a choice sometimes exists 
among the following three general courses of action: 

1. Exhaust adverse trumps and bring in a long suit. 

2. Trump adversaries' long suits and use his long suits 
to force the defenders. 

3. Establish a cross-ruff. 

Holding an established side suit, you should try to 
exhaust trumps before opening it. If adverse trump 
strength is too great to allow this to be done, you can 
try leading your established suit to "force'* your 
strong opponent (make him trump). It often happens 
that you and an opponent will each hold 5 trumps. 
Then the one securing the first force on the other will 
probably gain the long tnmip. To prevent your weaker 
opponent from trumping you may have to lead trumps 
a few times before venturing the force. 

When dummy has an established suit and is able 
to ruff adversaries' long suits with a few low trumps, 
and you hold very little aside from four trump honors, 
with several low cards of dvimmy's suit, it is not im- 
probable that if you lead trumps an adverse long 
trump will ruff dtimmy's long suit and permit your 
adversaries to lead their long suits unchecked. The 

19s 



best course may then be to lead dummy's long suit 
and let them ruff it, utilizing his two or three small 
trumps to ruff their long suits. This will reduce ad- 
verse tnmip strength to a point where you hold the 
long trump. You then lead trumps, and afterward 
allow dummy to continue with his long suit. The same 
plan may be workable if you have a few very high 
tnmip cards and a set-up suit, if dummy can ruff a 
long-established suit of the side players. Quite likely 
your opponents will start leading trumps on their first 
ruff, or one of them may cease leading his long suit 
and lead trumps to prevent dummy from ruffing. 
Even if confident that your opponents will not permit 
you to treat them as beginners, you must try your best 
plan, whatever it may be. Sometimes the best players 
fall into childishly simple traps. 

With plenty of trumps exhaust those opposed to 
you before trying to set up a suit. If trumps are 
rather scarce, try to set up the suit before leading 
trumps. A force or two will reduce adverse tnmip 
strength to a point where you can handle it. 

Having 4 trumps in 3^our hand, with 3 trumps in 
dummy's, their denominations often determine whether 
or not they shall be led. Four top honors is a power- 
ful reason for leading trumps, i^less you face estab- 
lished suits in adversaries' hands. Sometimes a tac- 
tical bid leaves 3^ou a declaration you do not want. 
Trumps like K-Q-J-X, A-Q-J-X, Q-J-io-X, A-J 
-lo-X, A-Q-io-X in one hand, and three small 
trumps in the other hand, give good grounds to con- 
sider whether some other method will not win more 
tricks than leading out trtimps. 

196 



An excellent reason for not leading trumps occurs 
when the weak hand can ruff a suit of which the strong 
hand holds only small cards. Better still is the op- 
portunity to ruff with the weak hand and to discard 
from a low suit held by the strong hand. 

With abundant trumps and a strong side suit lead 
trumps at once, even if the weak hand can ruff some- 
thing else. 

The only excuse for unnecessarily ruffing from the 
strong hand is either a superabundance of trumps or 
an established cross-ruff. You can calculate upon spar- 
ing one tnmip for ruffing, without leaving the long 
trump in your adversaries' hands, if you hold 4 trumps 
in each hand you play, or five in one hand and two in 
the other, or with six in one hand and none in the other. 
With fewer trumps than these a force is better than a 
ruff. 

Even if short of titimps it is usually better to ruff 
than to let a long suit run unchecked. Merely wait 
until you have made re-entry difficult because one ad- 
versary has no more of the other's long suit. 

Always apply the rule of eleven to fourth-best leads 
at no trumps. Also watch for midsequence leads, and 
even for short leads. 

At no tnmips a good general rule for the declarer 
is to lose tricks which must surely be lost early, while 
he has good guards about his suits. 

If the declarer has guards in all suits, he can try to 
establish one or more of them before he pla^^s out an 
established suit. When it will be difficult to establish 
a suit, if he holds one already established, he can lead 
that one first, to benefit by his adversaries' discards. 

197 



The object in being able to lead out two established 
suits is utterly to crush adverse strength in the re- 
maining suits. 

The expert enjoys and the novice most dreads 
playing the joint hands of declarer and dummy. 
Knowing precisely the resources and weak points on 
his side, he can direct his game with an assurance 
which is impossible for his adversaries. His offensive 
tactics of first and third hands do not clash, while the 
defensive play of second or of fourth hand is not upset 
by a misunderstanding. 

To offset his adversaries' single advantage, of being 
able to lead through the strength of his exposed hand 
and up to its weakness, he can throw the lead from one 
hand to the other, so that he can lead from the weaker 
hand to the stronger on every suit as long as re-entry 
lasts. 

The principal object in leading trumps is to prevent 
ruffs. Winning tricks over smaller tnmips is a sec- 
ondary matter. 

If you have 4 trumps and dummy has 3, you have 
only I in 3 chances to hold a long trump. If you have 
only 4 trumps and dtimmy holds less than 3, it is quite 
useless to lead trumps. 

Holding 8 trumps, four in each hand, 68 in 89 times 
you can depend upon neither adversary holding over 3 
trumps. 

Holding 6 tnmips, 5 in one hand and i in the other, 
5 in 8 times you will find the adversaries' trumps di- 
vided 4 in one hand and 3 in the other. With 5 trumps 
in one hand and none in the other you have only i in 
3 chances to hold a long trump. 

198 



With 6 trumps m one hand and none in the other 
you can calculate upon having 2 long trumps 7 in 11 
times. 

It IS good policy to draw two trumps from opponents 
to your one, when both of them have trtimps and your 
partner has none. It is bad to reverse the process and 
waste two trumps to draw one, unless you are very 
strong in trumps. Rarely waste two trumps to draw 
the remaining winning trump. Try to force it and to 
make your remaining trumps separately by ruffing. 
If you have a good suit to lead, you can utilize the 
trump in one hand to ruff a weak suit; then if you 
have re-entry, lead the other trump to draw out the 
winning trump from your adversary. 

It is better to make a helpful discard than to over- 
trump, when doing so puts a winning trump in your 
adversaries' hands. 

When 3^ou and an adversary have an equal number 
of trumps left you can lead them if they are winning 
cards and if you have an established suit. Otherwise 
your best plan is to force him to ruff, so as to give you 
the long trump. 

When left with several winning trumps or winning 
cards of any suit and one losing card of a plain suit, 
lead out all the winning cards first. Many times your 
adversaries will discard so that your last card will also 
win. 

At trumps the leader of a king can often be scared 
away from leading more of your long low suit by throw- 
ing under his king your highest card, as if you could 
ruff it on the next round. Expert players are not very 
apt to be caught by such tricks, neither are players of 

199 



very small experience, but similar strategy can be em- 
ployed against the great majority of ordinary players 
with fair success. 

Remember not to block the run of your trump suit, 
ruffing or leading high enough to avoid this. A tem- 
porary block may give an adversary a chance to ruff 
with a losing trump. 

Almost any declarer can play a winning game at no 
trumps with strong cards and both hands guarded in all 
four suits. Even fair players are, however, apt to miss 
a trick or two with such hands because they appear so 
simple. They will use high cards in adversaries' suits 
which should be employed only for re-entry and to 
stop the run of opposing suits to win tricks early in 
the game. Or they will run out a moderately long suit 
and leave adversaries a long card or two, when they 
might just as well have established and run out a 
longer suit to force discards. These would be full of 
information, as well as weakening to opposing hands. 
Skill in playing at no trumps consists to a great extent 
of winning tricks with small cards of a long suit and of 
forcing adversaries either to unguard high cards in 
suits where the strength is divided or to discard from 
their strong suits. This preventing adversaries bring- 
ing in their long suits before discards have weakened 
them is very important; so, also, is refusing to play a 
commanding card of their long suit until one of their 
hands can no longer lead that suit. This gives one 
hand against which finesses can be directed without fear 
that an established long suit will be led against you. 
At least, without costing adversaries a valuable re- 
entry card of another suit. 

200 



The bids assist greatly in locating adverse strength 
and in determining its general character. Stops to the 
run of your own suit must be removed, as also must 
re-entry cards of adversaries, while unblocking and in- 
suring re-entry in the weak hand must be most carefully 
observed. At trumps, reserving a trump in the weak 
hand often provides the best possible (perhaps only 
possible) re-entry card; -so at no trumps a higher card 
of your established suit retained in the weak hand and 
a lower one in the strong hand may prove your best 
means of re-entry, after all opposing cards of that suit 
have been played. This feature is always worthy of 
consideration, instead of blindly playing out the very 
last cards of a suit. 

In reviewing the joint cards of dvmimy and himself 
the declarer will ordinarily select as the suit for his 
no-trump attack the one containing the greatest num- 
ber of cards. Of two suits equal in other respects, 
select the one in which dtmimy shows the greatest 
strength, since the adversaries will more zealously 
protect their high cards in this suit than they will the 
one in which you hold concealed strength. In defend- 
ing themselves from the attack of dimimy's suit they 
are apt to unguard high cards in your concealed suit 
and thus give you a chance readily to establish it after 
the first suit has been exhausted. 

Other things being equal, it is self-evident that a 
total of 8 cards divided equally between your hand 
and dummy's is less effective than the same cards di- 
vided s and 3, or 6 and 2, because 5 or 6 leads of a suit 
will necessitate the adversaries sacrificing more through 
discards than 4 leads will. Moreover, a total of 7 
14 201 



cards, divided 6 and i between your two hands, is 
better than 8 (containing the same honors) divided 
evenly, or in the ratio of 5 to 3 between dummy and 
declarer. 

It is often better to try to establish an inferior suit 
than to continue with the first one tried when great 
strength in that suit is concentrated in the hand over 
you. 

Second and fourth hand plays for the declarer are 
much simpler than for the other two players. There 
is no unnecessary sacrifice of two high cards on a single 
trick, such as frequently occurs with the defenders. 
Where, for example, eldest hand will play the queen 
from three on the 10 led by the declarer, because 
dummy shows nothing, and the pone wins with his 
singleton ace. 

Playing two hands gives the declarer a chance to 
save a high card in his weak hand for re-entry when 
he can as cheaply win from his own hand. With 
Q-X-X in dummy and A-J-X-X in your own hand 
do not try to win with the queen; use either jack or 
ace. 

Do not risk a high card at second hand, unless you 
are strong in the suit, if you are liable to be called upon 
to overplay at fourth hand. At no trumps you must 
play the king from two at second hand if fourth hand 
has nothing ; but this comes under the general heading 
of making a poorly guarded honor good v/hen possible. 
Moreover, you are not ** liable to be called upon to over- 
play at fourth hand." With J-X-X-X in dummy do 
not play jack on 10 led when you hold K-X-X in your 
own hand. If the 10 surely came from A-Q-io it 

202 



VYOtild be all right to do so, but it would be a miserable 
opening with less than 7 in suit, and more probably it 
is the top of a sequence unless you can see the 9 or 8. 
If you can see the 8 without the 9 the 10 is probably 
a midsequence lead. In any event, playing low on the 
10 probably saves your jack from pone's ace or queen 
and you must eventually w4n two tricks in the suit 
unless a short lead has been made. 

If you can win two tricks in an adversary's suit, it is 
ordinarily better to win the second and third, or the 
first and third, rather than the first two tricks. If it 
is apparent that the leader's partner will have none of 
the suit to lead back after the second round, it wall 
be best to win the first and second rounds, and chance 
that suit being led again. Unless declarer and dummy 
jointly hold seven you cannot be certain of that fact. 
If 3"ou hold A-Q-X and dummy holds less than 4 
small cards, it w411 be wise to win the first trick with 
the queen from pone on a lead from your left, then to 
hold the ace until the third round. You cannot let 
the first trick go to pone (unless he wins with the king) 
and permit him to lead through your hand up to eldest 
hand's king. Even if eldest hand will win the first 
trick, it is somewhat dangerous to let him do so if you 
have a weak suit, because he might change to that suit 
and vv^ait for a lead to come through your tenace. If 
instead of A-Q-X you should hold A-K-X, it would 
be best to pass the first trick, with less than seven of the 
suit between you and dummy. 

Holding up a commanding card of an adversary's 
suit until one player can no longer lead that suit gives 
you only one instead of two hands to fear. A general 

203 



rule is that it will pay to hold up twice if it pays to 
hold up the first round. If an adversary holds up an 
ace too long the declarer may avoid leading that suit, 
but the declarer can usually hold up a winning card 
as long as he chooses. Holding up a winning card in 
each hand, care must be taken finally to play them 
in a way to bring your own lead from the desired 
direction. 

With ace of an adversary's strong suit in one hand 
and king in the other, like A-X-X and K-X-X, after 
the first round there will remain against you only five 
of that suit. If you pass the first round and win the 
second and third rounds, the suit will probably never 
be heard from again, so that it often pays to hold up 
two stops to a strong suit instead of one. 

Weakly guarded honors, like Q-X-X, J-X-X-X, 
should be allowed to make when they can. 

Make your discards as enigmatical as possible. 
Decide where the next attack is to come, and hide ex- 
treme weakness in a suit by discarding from a stronger 
one. Do not discard from the same suit in both hands 
unless that suit is so strong that you can well spare 
the cards. When one. hand has a suit well guarded, 
that suit can be discarded from the other hand. In 
this way you can ordinarily guard one suit in each 
hand by allowing one hand to discard from the suit 
the other guards. With hearts being led after your 
side has no more, when 

Spades Diamonds Clubs 

declarer has left X-X-X-X A-K-X A-Q-X 

and dummy has left K-Q-X J-X-X-X X-X-X 

204 



the declarer can discard spades while dummy discards 
clubs. 

With two entire suits against you, the lead must not 
be lost until you have w^on all you can. With only a 
single suit against you, an attempt must be made to 
establish your best suit. Holding a second stop to the 
opening suit entitles you to take chances not otherwise 
warranted. 

A suit with an adverse ace is much better to open 
than one having both king and queen against you. 
The ace is almost certain to win sometime, but by 
postponing opening the last-named suit it is possible 
that discards may cause both king and queen to fall 
together, or one of them to fall to 3^our ace. 

Bad suits for the declarer to open, unless they are 
very long, are those having a single honor in each hand. 
If they are ace and king, they should be saved for 
valuable re-entry; otherwise than ace and king the 
suits are too weak to open. King or queen with small 
supporting cards in one hand, and jack or lo with 
smaller ones in the other hand, are extremely bad suits 
to open. 

Long suits in one hand from which ace, king, or 
queen would naturally be led on the blind lead, with 
some support in the other hand, are always admirable 
suits to open at no trumps. The best suit, of course, 
is a long, fully established suit which insures helpful 
discards. 

Most games are won through two things: having 
the cards, and not missing obvious things. Only at 
rare intervals does a brilliant coup win a game which 
otherwise would be lost. Lots of games are lost, on 

205 



the other hand, by undue risks taken in the attempt 
to pull off a smart play, and still more are lost by 
failure to follow the fall of the cards. 

If a finesse is attempted on the first round of an un- 
hid suit which you open, it has even chances of success; 
but if deferred until the second round its chances aver- 
age better, because of information given by the cards 
played on the first round; singleton stops are also 
eliminated. A little plain common sense will also help 
to direct a finesse properly. If eldest hand has shown 
considerable strength in his suit and the declarer finds 
that a finesse must be chanced in one or two other 
suits, the law of averages indicates that the pone is 
more apt to hold the missing strength in those suits 
than eldest hand. Accordingly, a finesse through the 
pone should be tried. 

Finessing is one of the most obvious methods of 
winning extra tricks and of bringing out missing 
strength. A common trait of most players is to let 
small cards of a sequence slip past their top card; but 
few can resist covering the card immediately below the 
one they hold. If you have a sequence Q-J-10-9 and 
the player on your left holds the guarded king, he will 
probably let the 9 or 10 slip past him and win tricks. 
He may pass the jack, but unless he is a seasoned 
player he will be almost certain to cover the queen, 
regardless of the utility of such a play. 

Play a high card to dislodge a high obstructing card, 
and play a low one if you want it to slip past a guard. 
You can often take advantage of this, for example: 
you hold A-K-X, dummy has J-X-X; with the 10 
ipissing you cannot afford to lead jack froni dummy, 

206 



so you lead a small card toward the jack. If eldest 
hand has the missing queen guarded, he may let your 
jack win. In any event the attempt costs nothing, 
and it may possibly cause his queen to later fall to 
your ace or king. 

There are times to risk much on a finesse and times 
to prefer a certain small loss to risking a finesse at all. 
Always consider what you have to gain by a successful 
finesse, and the possible extent of your loss if the 
finesse fails. 

If you intend leading trumps, always do so before 
risking a finesse in a plain suit. If a finesse goes 
wrong, it may mean a dangerous lead from the winner, 
a ruff by his partner, or, perhaps, even a cross-ruff may 
be started. 

Risk a finesse to win the game if its miscarriage can- 
not badly ''set" you. As winning the game means so 
much more than a lower score, it is usually best to 
risk being set one undoubled trick, or even two, if a 
successful finesse will win the game. If possible to win 
the contract by refusing all finesses, it is better to 
accept that than to risk two finesses, which will win 
the game if both are successful, but which will lose the 
contract if either fails. 

With other things equal, direct finesses against the 
stronger adversary, but do not take a finesse on the side 
from which a disadvantageous lead can come if 3^ou 
lose. Do not unnecessarily risk losing to an adversary 
holding a suit which you are not prepared to stop. 

When contemplating a finesse you must usually as- 
sume that opposing length in that suit is divided equal- 
ly between opponents. With 3 cards missing, assume 

207 



them distributed 2 and i ; with 4 cards, 2 and 2 ; with 5 
cards, 3 and 2 ; and so on. If you hold a total of 9 
cards of a suit, with both ace and king in one hand, 
do not strain a point by using up valuable re-entry 
to lead toward your high cards, but go ''head-on'* with 
your high cards to try to catch the missing queen. 
With seven to A-K-Q in your two hands you will win 
more tricks by trying to drop the jack by direct leads 
than by finessing. If you hold eight cards in both 
hands, and lack only the queen, you can attempt a 
finesse on the second round, if it can be arranged with- 
out seriously impairing dummy's further efficiency. If 
it cannot be so arranged, try to drop the queen by direct 
leads of ace and king. Never sacrifice a future certain 
advantage for a present doubtful one. 

Without special reasons for other play, the following 
frequently recurring combinations should be played 
as given: 



Holding 

in 

one hand 


With these 

in the 
other hand 


Lead 


Unless second hand 
outplays the card 
given below play 


x-x-x 


A-Q-io 


X 


10 


J-io-X 


A-Q-X 


J 


X 


x-x-x 


A-Q-X 


X 


Q 


A-X-X 


Q-X-X 


X 


Q 


K-X-X 


A-J-X 


X 


J 


X-X-X 


A-J-X 


X 


J 


lo-X 


A-J-X-X 


10 


X 


A-J-X 


lo-X 


X 


10 


Q-x-x 


A-J-X-X 


X 


J 


[In order to save the 
can be led.] 


queen for re-entry. 


If that is 1 


unnecessary the queen 


A-io-X-X 


K-J-X-X 


li 


" f 



[Then reverse the process and lead a low card back to the other top card.) 

2o8 



A-X-X Q-J-io-X X lo 

(If re-entry is scarce. Otherwise can lead Q up to A.J 

Q-J-X A-X-X-X Q X 

A-X-X-X J-X-X X J 

X-X-X A-X-X-X-X X X 

[Repeat this; on third round play ace, and you may hope to win three tricks 
in the suit.] 

K-X-X-X J-X-X X J 

X-X-X K-Q-X X Q 

X-X-X Q-J-IO-X X lo 

Do not lead a high card to finesse it unless you hold 
its equal in the other hand. 

Sometimes a lead of a low card must be followed by 
the play of a low card, even when you hold in third 
hand the best card, in order to provide re-entry for a 
suit which you cannot depend on clearing with the 
number of winning cards it holds. Say that dummy 
has no card capable of winning a trick except in a suit 
of seven to the ace, wherein you hold three to the jack, 
with only the king, queen, and one small card against 
you. No matter how the cards lie, 3^ou must lose at 
least one trick, consequently it Vvall be best to lead a 
small card and pla}^ a small card from dummy, regard- 
less of what second hand plays. The second time you 
are able to lead the suit the jack must be led. If the 
suit clears this round, go up with the ace; othen;\4se 
the ace must be reserved for the third round. Similar 
tactics would be necessary with five cards, including 
an honor, out against dummy's suit of five or six cards 
to A-K. 

Remember to leave re-entry in the hand where the 
long suit lies, or to so direct your play as to establish 
re-entry there. Holding K-Q-X in your own hand, 

209 



with J-X-X-X in dummy, or even J-X-X, by lead- 
ing out the king and queen you will usually be able 
to force out the ace and make a re-entry card of the 
jack. With A-K-Q-5 in your own hand and 6-4-3-2 
in dimimy, you can probably make a re-entry card of 
his 6 by leading out the three honors to clear the suit. 

The rule to look out for re-entry is necessitated by 
the need of establishing a long suit as soon as possible 
to lead out and break up opposing strength through 
discards, also to enable leads to be made through 
strength. To provide re-entry and not to block him- 
self the declarer must carefully count the cards of his 
long suit as they fall, unblocking, overtaking, and 
ducking as necessity may require. 

Forcing, whether in the form of making an adversary 
ruff your long suit at trumps or in the form of making 
him discard from his long suit at no trumps, is an 
effective method of attacking a powerful adversary. 

Take all possible advantage of your adversaries' 
mannerisms, and of their peculiarities of play, to locate 
cards. Some adversaries show by their hesitation in 
deciding what to play that they hold a certain card. 
While you would have no right to take the slightest 
advantage of disclosures made by your partner, 3^ou 
have every right to make use of those of adversaries, 
since the etiquette of the game is sternly against them. 

Leading a suit w^hich of all others 3^ou least desire 
led will sometimes bluff an adversary and prevent his 
returning the suit if its strength happens to be evenly 
divided between the defenders. 

Most players cannot resist covering - a high card, 
consequently lead high to pull out high stops to your 

2IO 



suit. With only three cards against you, including ace 
and king, it is possible that the lead of your queen 
will cause both the higher honors to fall at once, if 
fourth hand has only a singleton honor. 

Do your thinking (if necessary, after the opening 
lead) when adversaries lead up to your strength. When 
you do not want to disclose anything you hold in a weak 
suit, play with your ordinary appearance of confidence. 
It is true that a quick movement in playing often pro- 
vokes a hasty play in return, sometim.es to your ad- 
vantage, but such purposely deceptive actions closely 
approach trickery. Try to maintain the same con- 
fident air whether or not you feel so, and always play 
your cards in one style. Mannerisms should neither 
be allowed to deceive opponents nor to enlighten a 
partner. 

With a weak hand you are more apt to make high 
cards good when the other side leads. The more suits 
they open up at no trumps the better it will be for you. 
If they will assist you in clearing a suit, it is to your 
advantage. There are occasions when it is so desirable 
to have a special suit led by a certain player that it 
pays to lead out the last losing card of another suit, if 
you know that he holds its last winning card, in the hope 
that he will open up that special suit for you. This 
may happen when you hold only short tenace suits, 
and need to make both cards of a tenace good to Vv^in 
your contract. You will naturally have to lose the last 
card referred to, any^^ay. 

At the end of the game you may have to lead when 
you hold cards like 10-8 clubs and 6-3 hearts, and an 
adversary holds 9-7-6 clubs and 10 hearts, while his 

21T 



partner and the dummy hold only spades and dia- 
monds. If you lead a club you will win only one trick, 
while he will win three ; but if you lead a heart he will win 
only with his ten hearts while you must win three tricks. 
This shows the utility of knowing just what is out 
against you, where it lies, and thinking carefully before 
you play the few last cards. 

Desiring the other side to lead trumps, you can 
usually accomplish this by a lead from dummy's short 
suit, if he shows only a few small trumps, as if you 
intend to start ruffing. 

With two winning cards of a suit in one hand and a 
third in the other hand, the balance of the hand will 
be better preserved by winning from the hand holding 
the two high cards, except in a case where you want 
both winning cards in the weak hand for re-entry 
purposes. 

With a single winning card in each hand, win from 
the hand less in need of re-entry cards. If there is no 
choice, win from the exposed hand to lead each adver- 
sary to believe that his partner holds the high card 
which is concealed in your own hand. 

False-carding b}^ the declarer, if well conceived, often 
misleads an adversary into leading a suit desired, or 
prevents his playing a winning card under the im- 
pression that his partner can win a trick at fourth hand. 
It is senseless to false-card in cases where nothing is 
to be gained. Habitually leading from the bottom of 
a sequence or playing its top card soon becomes known 
to all with whom you play; thus, the utility of a very 
useful bit of false-carding is gone. Vary the deception 
by sometimes leading or playing the middle card of 

212 



a sequence; when nothing can possibly be gained by 
the deception, play the cards of a sequence as if you 
were a side player. 

No useful purpose comes from false-carding dummy's 
cards, except in rare cases where they are in sequence 
with your own. 

On a fourth-best lead the pone knows whether de- 
clarer can beat the card led; so in a case where you 
cannot beat it do not play low out of dummy and ex- 
pect the pone to go unnecessarily high. 

Every text-book tells you that on a queen lead you 
should win with the king, instead of false-carding with 
the ace. The lead cannot possibly be from K-Q and 
others, but it might be from A-Q-J. The leader will 
usually know that you hold the ace, but his partner 
cannot tell who holds it. In addition to this repeatedly 
cited case, there are other equally good opportunities 
to puzzle an adversary on an honor led by his partner. 

If jack is led at no trumps, it may come from a suit 
headed by A-K-J, A-J-io, K-J-io, or J-10-9. Hold- 
ing ace, king, and queen in his own hand, the declarer 
can win with the queen instead of false-carding. This 
will not tell pone that the ace and king are also held, 
and he is liable to return the lead at the first oppor- 
tunity, under the impression that eldest hand has the 
ace, the king, or both. If queen lies in dtimmy when 
declarer holds both ace and king, the same impression 
will be given pone by winning with the queen from 
dummy. 

If declarer holds A-K-J in his own hand when the 
10 is led and overplayed by pone's queen, if he plays 
the king, pone may think his partner is leading from 

213 



seven to A-io, with re-entry, if the declarer has 
enough cards to deceive the pone. Or pone is Hkely 
to think that the lo is a midsequence lead, and that 
eldest hand has one of the high honors which declarer 
holds. The same deception can be practised by false- 
carding with the ace instead of the king. By false- 
carding with the ace on pone's third-hand play of the 
queen, with lo and jack anywhere, he can lead eldest 
hand to believe that pone holds the king. 

To false-card with an honor quickly and to deceive 
an adversary, the declarer must have all the leads 
fixed clearly in mind. False-carding with lower cards 
is useless against ordinary players, but often very de- 
ceptive to good players. 



THE 

LAWS OF AUCTION 



TOGETHETv WITH THE 



ETIQUETTE OF THE GAME 

Copyright, 1915, by THE WHIST CLUB, New York. 



REPRINTED HERE BY SPECIAL PERMISSION 



PREFACE 

At a meeting of the Board of Managers of the 
Whist Club the following laws applicable to Auction 
were approved and adopted. 

The Whist Club. 

NEW YORK, June, 1915. 



15 



CONTENTS 



PAGE 

The Rubber 221 

Scoring 221 

Cutting 223 

Forming Tables 224 

Cutting Out 224 

Right of Entry 224 

Shuffling 225 

The Deal . 226 

A New Deal 226 

The Declaration 228 

Doubling and Redoubling 232 

Dummy 233 

Cards Exposed Before Play 235 

Cards Exposed During Play 235 

Leads Out of Turn 237 

Cards Played in Error 238 

The Revoke 239 

General Laws . 242 

New Cards 242 

Bystanders 243 

Etiquette of Auction 243 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 



THE RUBBER 

1. A rubber continues until one side wins two games. 
When the first two games decide the rubber, a third is 
not played. 

SCORING 

2. Each side has a trick score and a score for all 
other counts, generally known as the honor score. In 
the trick score the only entries made are points for 
tricks won (see Law 3), which count both toward the 
game and in the total of the rubber. 

All other . points, including honors, penalties, slam, 
little slam, and undertricks, are recorded in the honor 
score, which counts only in the total of the rubber. 

3. When the declarer wins the ntmiber of tricks bid 
or more, each above six counts on the trick score: 
six points when clubs are tnmips, seven when diamonds 
are trumps, eight when hearts are trumps, nine when 
spades are trtimps, and ten when the declaration is no 
tnmip. 

4. A game consists of thirty points made by tricks 
alone. Every deal is played out, whether or not during 

?2I 



it the game be concluded, and any points made (even 
if in excess of thirty) are counted. 

5. The ace, king, queen, knave, and ten of the 
trump suit are the honors; when no trump is declared, 
the aces are the honors. 

6. Honors are credited to the original holders; they 
are valued as follows: 



WHEN A TRUMP IS DECLARED 
3* honors held between partners equal value of 2 tricks 

. i ( H ii ii ii ii . ii 

4 4 

^ a i ( (( a ii ii ^ i i 

4 " in I hand " " 8 " 

( 5th in ) 
4 " " I " •] partner's V " " 9 " 

( hand ) 

P<< ti,ll It n to" 



WHEN NO TRUMP IS DECLARED 

3 aces held between partners count 30 

. i i i i i i a i i .^ 

4 40 
4 ** V^ in one hand ^* 100 



7. Slam is made when partners take thirteen tricks.^ 
It counts 100 points in the honor score. 

8. Little slam is made when partners take twelve 
tricks.^ It counts 50 points in the honor score. 

^ Frequently called *' simple honors." 

2 Law 84 prohibits a revoking side from scoring slam, and pro- 
vides that tricks received by the declarer as penalty for a revoke 
shall not entitle him to a slam not otherwise obtained. 

3 Law 84 prohibits a revoking side from scoring little slam, 
and provides that tricks received by the declarer as penalty for 
a revoke shall not entitle him to a little slam not otherwise ob- 
tained. When a declarer bids 7 and takes twelve tricks h^ 
counts 50 for little slam, although his declaration fails, 

222 



9- The value of honors, slam, or little slam, is not 
affected by doubling or redoubling. 

10. At the end of a rubber the side that has won two 
games scores a bonus of 250 points. 

The trick, honor, and bonus scores of each side are 
then added and the size of the rubber is the differ- 
ence between the respective totals. 

The side having the higher score wins the rubber. 

1 1 . When a rubber is started with the agreement that 
the play shall terminate {i. e., no new deal shall com- 
mence) at a specified time, and the rubber is unfinished 
at that hour, the score is made up as it stands, 125 
being added to the score of the winners of a game. A. 
deal if started must be finished. 

12. A proved error in the honor score may be cor- 
rected at any time before the score of the rubber has 
been made up and agreed upon. 

13. A proved error in the trick score may be cor- 
rected at any time before a declaration has been made 
in the following game, or, if it occur in the final game 
of the rubber, before the score has been made up and 
agreed upon. 

CUTTING 

14. In cutting, the ace is the lowest card; between 
cards of otherwise equal value the spade is the lowest, 
the heart next, the diamond next, and the club the 
highest. 

15. Every player must cut from the same pack. 

16. Should a player expose more than one card, the 
highest is his cut. 

223 



FORMING TABLES 

17. Those first in the room have the prior right to 
play. Candidates of equal standing decide their order 
by cutting; those who cut lowest play first. 

18. Six players constitute a complete table. 

19. After the table has been formed, the players cut 
to decide upon partners, the two lower play against the 
two higher. The lowest is the dealer, who has choice 
of cards and seats, and, having made his selection, 
must abide by it.^ 

20. The right to succeed players as they retire is 
acquired b}^ announcing the desire to do so, and such 
announcements, in the order made, entitle candidates 
to fill vacancies as they occur. 

CUTTING OUT 

21. If, at the end of a rubber, admission be claimed 
by one or two candidates, the player or players who 
have played the greatest number of consecutive rub- 
bers withdraw ; when all have played the same number, 
they cut to decide upon the outgoers; the highest are 
out.2 

RIGHT OF ENTRY 

22. At the end of a rubber a candidate is not en- 
titled to enter a table unless he declares his intention 
before any player cut, either for partners, for a new 
rubber, or for cutting out. 

1 He may consult his partner before making his decision, 

2 See Law 14 as to value of cards in cutting. 

224 



23- In the formation of new tables candidates who 
have not played at an existing table have the prior 
right of entry. Others decide their right to admission 
by cutting. 

24. When one or more players belonging to an exist- 
ing table aid in making up a new one, which cannot be 
formed without him or them, he or they shall be the 
last to cut out. 

25. A player belonging to one table who enters an- 
other, or announces a desire to do so, forfeits his rights 
at his original table, unless the new table cannot be 
formed without him, in which case he may retain his 
position at his original table by announcing his inten- 
tion to return as soon as his place at the new table can 
be filled. 

26. Should a player leave a table during the progress 
of a rubber, he may, with the consent of the three 
others, appoint a substitute to play during his absence ; 
but such appointment becomes void upon the con- 
clusion of the rubber, and does not in any way affect 
the rights of the substitute. 

27. If a player break up a table, the others have a 
prior right of entry elsewhere. 

SHUFFLING 

28. The pack must not be shuffled below the table 
nor so the face of any card be seen. 

29. The dealer's partner must collect the cards 
from the preceding deal and has the right to shuffle 
first. Each player has the right to shuffle subsequently. 
The dealer has the right to shuffle last, but should a 

225 



card or cards be seen during his shuffling or while 
giving the pack to be cut, he must reshuffle. 

30. After shuffling, the cards, properl}^ collected, 
must be placed face downward to the left of the next 
dealer, where they must remain untouched until the 
end of the current deal. 

THE DEAL 

31. Players deal in turn; the order of dealing is to 
the left. 

32. Immediately before the deal, the player on the 
dealer^s right cuts, so that each packet contains at 
least four cards. If, in or after cutting, and prior 
to the beginning of the deal, a card be exposed, or if 
any doubt exist as to the place of the cut, the dealer 
must reshuffle and the same player must cut again. 

33. After the pack has been properly cut, it should 
not be reshuffled or recut except as provided in Law 32. 

34. Should the dealer shuffle after the cut, his ad- 
versaries may also shuffle and the pack must be cut 
again. 

35. The fifty-tw^o cards must be dealt face down- 
ward. The deal is completed when the last card is 
dealt. 

36. In the event of a misdeal, the same pack must 
be dealt again by the same player. 

A NEW DEAL 

37. There wm5/ be a new deal : 

(a) If the cards be not dealt, beginning at the dealer *s left 
into four packets one at a time and in regular rotation. 
226 



(b) If, during a deal, or during the play, the pack be 

proved incorrect. 

(c) If, during a deal, any card be faced in the pack or 

exposed, on, above, or below the table. 

(d) If more than thirteen cards be dealt to any player.^ 

(e) If the last card do not come in its regular order to 

the dealer. 
(/) If the dealer omit having the pack cut, deal out of 
turn or with the adversaries' cards, and either 
adversary call attention to the fact before the end 
of the deal and before looking at any of his cards. 

38. Should a correction of an^^ offense mentioned 
in 37 / not be made in time, or should an adversary 
who has looked at any of his cards be the first to call 
attention to the error, the deal stands, and the game 
proceeds as if the deal had been coiTCct, the player 
to the left dealing the next. When the deal has been 
with the wrong cards, the next dealer may take which- 
ever pack he prefers. 

39. If, prior to the cut for the following deal, a pack 
be proved incorrect, the deal is void, but all prior scores 
stand. ^ 

The pack is not incorrect when a missing card or 
cards are found in the other pack, among the quitted 
tricks, below the table, or in any other place which 
makes it possible that such card or cards were part of 
the pack during the deal. 

40. Should three players have their proper number 
of cards, the fourth, less, the missing card or cards, if 
foimd, belong to him, and he, unless dummy, is an- 

* This error, whenever discovered, renders a new deal nec- 
essary. 

2 A correct pack contains exactly fifty-two cards, one of each 
denomination, 

227 



swerable for any established revoke or revokes he may 
have made just as if the missing card or cards had 
been continuously in his hand. When a card is miss- 
ing, any player may search the other pack, the 
quitted tricks, or elsewhere for it.* 

If before, during, or at the conclusion of play, one 
player hold more than the proper number of cards, 
and another less, the deal is void. 

41. A player may not cut, shuffle, or deal for his 
partner if either adversary object. 

41a. A player may not lift from the table and look 
at any of his cards until the end of the deal. The 
penalty for the violation of this law is 25 points in the 
adverse honor score for each card so examined. 

THE DECLARATION 

42. The dealer, having examined his hand, must 
either pass or declare to win at least one odd trick,^ 
either with a specified suit, or at no trump. 

43. The dealer having declared or passed, each 
player in turn, beginning on the dealer^s left, must 
pass, make a higher declaration, double the last declara- 
tion made by an opponent, or redouble an opponent's 
dotible, subject to the provisions of Law 54. 

44. When all four players pass their first opportunity 
to declare, the deal passes to the next player. 

45. The order in value of declarations from the lowest 
up is clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades, no trump. 

* The fact that a deal is concluded without any claim of irregu- 
larity shall be deemed as conclusive that such card was part of 
the pack during the deal. 

2 One trick more than six. 

228 



To overcall a declaration, a player must bid, either 

(a) An equal number of tricks of a more valuable declara- 

tion or 

(b) A greater number of tricks. 

^- ^-j 3 spades over 3 diamonds; 5 clubs over 4 
hearts; 4 diamonds over 3 no trump. 

46. A player in his turn may overbid the previous 
adverse declaration any ntunber of times, and may also 
overbid his partner, but he cannot overbid his own 
declaration which has been passed by the three 
others. 

47. The player who makes the final declaration^ 
must play the combined hands, his partner becoming 
diunmy, unless the suit or no tramp finally declared 
was bid by the partner before it was called by the final 
declarer, in which case the partner, no matter what 
bids have intervened, must play the combined hands. 

48. When the player of the two hands (hereinafter 
termed '*the declarer") wins at least as many tricks as 
he declared, he scores the full value of the tricks won 
(see Law 3).^ 

48a. When the declarer fails to win as many tricks 
as he declares, neither he nor his adversaries score any- 
thing toward the game, but his adversaries score in 
their honor column 50 points for each undertrick (i. e.y 
each trick short of the ntunber declared). If the 
declaration be doubled, the adversaries score 100 
points; if redoubled, 200 points for each undertrick. 

^ A declaration becomes final when it has been passed by 
three players. 

2 For amount scored by declarer, if doubled, see Laws 53 and 56. 

229 



49- If ^ player make a declaration (other than 
passing) out of turn, either adversary may demand 
a new deal, may treat such declaration as void, or 
may allow such declaration to stand. In the latter 
case the bidding shall continue as if the declara- 
tions had been in turn. A pass out of turn, or a 
bid declared void does not affect the order of bid- 
ding, i, e., it is still the turn of the player to the 
left of the previous declarer. The player who has 
bid out of turn may re-enter the bidding in his 
proper turn without penalty, but if he has passed 
out of his turn, he may only do so in case the declara- 
tion he has passed be overbid or doubled. 

If a declaration out of turn be made and the proper 
declarer then bid, such bid shall be construed as an 
election that the declaration out of turn is to be treated 
as void. 

50. If a player make an insufficient declaration, 
either adversary may demand that it be made sufficient 
in the declaration named, in which case the partner of 
the declarer may not further declare unless an adver- 
sary subsequently bid or double. 

50a. If a player who has been debarred from bidding 
under Laws 50 or 65, during the period of such pro- 
hibition, make any declaration (other than passing), 
either adversar}^ may decide whether such declaration 
stand, and neither the offending player nor his partner 
may further participate in the bidding even if the ad- 
versaries double or declare. 

506. A penalty for a declaration out of turn (see 
Law 49), an insufficient declaration (see Law 50), or 
a bid when prohibited (see Law 50a) may not be en- 

230 



forced if either adversary pass, double, or declare be- 
fore the penalty be demanded.^ 

Soc. Laws which give to either adversary the right 
to enforce a penalty do not permit unlimited consulta- 
tion. Either adversary may call attention to the 
offense and select the penalty, or may say, ** Partner, 
you determine the penalty," or words to that effect. 
An}^ other consultation is prohibited,^ and if it take 
place the right to demand any penalty is lost. The 
first decision made by either adversary is final and 
cannot be altered. 

51. At any time during the declaration, a question 
asked by a player concerning any previous bid must be 
answered, but, after the final declaration has been ac- 
cepted, if an adversary of the declarer inform his 
partner regarding any previous declaration, the de- 
clarer may call a lead from the adA^ersary whose next 
turn it is to lead. If the dummy give such informa- 
tion to the declarer, either adversary of the declarer 
m_ay call a lead when it is the next turn of the declarer 
to lead from either hand. A player, however, at any 
time may ask what declaration is being played and the 
question must be answered. 

52. A pass or double once made may not be 
altered. 

No declaration may be altered after the next player 
acts. 



^ When the penalty for an insufficient declaration is not de- 
manded, the bid over which it was made may be repeated unless 
some higher bid has intervened. 

2 The question, ** Partner, will you select the penalty, or shall 
I?" is a form of consultation which is not permitted. 

231 



Before action by the next player a no trump or suit 
declaration may be changed 

(a) To correct the amount of an insufficient bid. 

(b) To correct the denomination but not the size of a 

bid in which, due to a lapsus lingucBy a suit or no 
trump has been called which the declarer did not 
intend to name. 

No other alteration may be made. 



DOUBLING AND REDOUBLING 

53. Doubling and redoubling doubles and quad- 
ruples the value of each trick over six, but it does not 
alter the value of a declaration; e. g., a declaration 
of ** three clubs" is higher than *'two spades" doubled 
or redoubled. 

54. Any declaration may be doubled and redoubled 
once, but not more; a player may not double his 
partner's declaration, nor redouble his partner's double, 
but he may redouble a declaration of his partner which 
has been doubled by an adversary. 

The penalty for redoubling more than once is 100 
points in the adverse honor score or a new deal; for 
doubling a partner's declaration, or redoubling a 
partner's double it is 50 points in the adverse honor 
score. Either adversary may demand any penalty 
enforceable under this law. 

55. Doubling or redoubling reopens the bidding. 
When a declaration has been doubled or redoubled, 
any one of tlie three succeeding players, including the 
player whose declaration has been doubled, may, in 

232 



his proper turn, make a further declaration of higher 
value. 

56. When a player whose declaration has been 
doubled wins the declared number of tricks, he scores 
a bonus of 50 points in his honor score, and a further 
50 points for each additional trick. When he or his 
partner has redoubled, he scores 100 points for making 
the contract and an additional 100 for each extra trick. 

57. A double or redouble is a declaration, and a 
player who doubles or redoubles out of turn is subject 
to the penalty provided by Law 49. 

58. After the final declaration has been accepted, 
the play begins; the player on the left of the declarer 
leads. 

DUMMY 1 

59. As soon as the pla^-er on the left of the declarer 
leads, the declarer's partner places his cards face up- 
ward on the table, and the declarer plays the cards 
from that hand. 

60. The partner of the declarer has all the rights of 
a player (including the right to call attention to a lead 
from the wrong hand), until his cards are placed face 
upward on the table. ^ He then becomes the dummy, 
and takes no part whatever in the play, except that he 
has the right: 

(a) To call the declarer's attention to the fact that too 

many or too few cards have been played to a trick; 

(b) to correct an improper claim of either adversary; 
{c) to call attention to a trick erroneously taken by 

either side; 

*For additional laws affecting dummy, see 51 and 93. 
2 The penalty is determined by the declarer (see Law 66). 
16 233 



(d) to participate in the discussion of any disputed ques- 

tion of fact after it has arisen between the declarer 
and either adversary; 

(e) to correct an erroneous score; 

(J) to consult with and advise the declarer as to which 

penalty to exact for a revoke; 
(g) to ask the declarer whether he have any of a suit 

he has renounced. 

The dummy, if he have not intentionally looked at 
any card in the hand of a player, has also the follow- 
ing additional rights: 

(h) To call the attention of the declarer to an established 

adverse revoke; 
(i) to call the attention of the declarer to a card exposed 

by an adversary or to an adverse lead out of turn. 

6i. Should the dummy call attention to any other 
incident in the play in consequence of which any 
penalty might have been exacted, the declarer may not 
exact such penalty. Should the dimimy avail himself 
of right (h) or (i), after intentionally looking at a card 
in the hand of a player, the declarer may not exact 
any penalty for the offense in question. 

62. If the dummy, by touching a card or otherwise, 
suggest the play of one of his cards, either adversary 
may require the declarer .to play or not to play such 
card. 

62a. If the dummy call to the attention of the de- 
clarer that he is about to lead from the wrong hand, 
either adversary may require that the lead be made 
from that hand. 

63. Dummy is not subject to the revoke penalty; 
if he revoke and the error be not discovered until the 

234 



trick be turned and quitted, whether by the rightful 
winners or not, the revoke may not be corrected. 

64. A card from the declarer's hand is not played 
until actually quitted, but should he name or touch a 
card in the dummy, such card is played unless he say, 
*'I arrange,'' or words to that effect. If he simul- 
taneously touch two or more such cards, he may elect 
which to play. 

CARDS EXPOSED BEFORE PLAY 

65. After the deal and before the declaration has 
been finally determined, if any player lead or expose 
a card, his partner may not thereafter bid or double 
during that declaration,^ and the card, if it belong to 
an adversary of the eventual declarer, is subject to call.^ 
When the partner of the offending player is the original 
leader, the declarer may also prohibit the initial lead 
of the suit of the exposed card. 

66. After the final declaration has been accepted 
and before the lead, if the partner of the proper leader 
expose or lead a card, the declarer may treat it as ex- 
posed or may call a suit from the proper leader. A 
card exposed by the leader, after the final declaration 
and before the lead, is subject to call. 

CARDS EXPOSED DURING PLAY 

67. After the original lead, all cards exposed by 
the declarer's adversaries are liable to be called and 
must be left face upward on the table. 

^ See Law 50a. 

2 If more than one card be exposed, all may be called. 

235 



68. The following are exposed cards: 

(i) Two or more cards played simultaneously; 

(2) a card dropped face upward on the table, even though 

snatched up so quickly that it cannot be. named; 

(3) a card so held by a player that his partner sees any 

portion of its face; 

(4) a card mentioned by either adversary as being held 

in his or his partner^s hand. 

69. A card dropped on the floor or elsewhere below 
the table, or so held that it is seen by an adversary 
but not by the partner, is not an exposed card. 

70. Two or more cards played simultaneously by 
either of the declarer's adversaries give the declarer 
the right to call any one of such cards to the current 
trick and to treat the other card or cards as exposed. 

70a. Should an adversary of the declarer expose his 
last card before his partner play to the twelfth trick, 
the two cards in his partner's hand become exposed, 
must be laid face upward on the table, and are subject 
to call. 

71. If, without waiting for his partner to play, 
either of the declarer's adversaries play or lead a win- 
ning card, as against the declarer and dummy and con- 
tinue (without waiting for his partner to play) to lead 
several such cards, the declarer may demand that the 
partner of the player in fault win, if he can, the first 
or any other of these tricks. The other cards thus im- 
properly played are exposed. 

72. If either or both of the declarer's adversaries 
throw his or their cards face upward on the table, 
such cards are exposed and liable to be called; but 
if either adversary retain his hand, he cannot be forced 

236 



to abandon it. Cards exposed by the declarer are not 
liable to be called. If the declarer say, ''I have the 
rest," or any words indicating the remaining tricks or 
any number thereof are his, he may be required to 
place his cards face upward on the table. He is not 
then allowed to call any cards his adversaries may 
have exposed, nor to take any finesse not previously 
proven a winner unless he announce it when making 
his claim. 

73. If a player who has rendered himself liable to 
have the highest or lowest of a suit called (Laws 80, 
86, and 92) fail to play as directed, or if, when called 
on to lead one suit, he lead another, having in his hand 
one or more cards of the suit demanded (Laws 66, 76, 
and 93), or if, when called upon to win or lose a trick, 
he fail to do so when he can (Laws 71, 80, and 92), or 
if, when called upon not to play a suit, he fail to play 
as directed (Laws 65 and 66), he is liable to the penalty 
for revoke (Law 84) unless such play be corrected before 
the trick be turned and quitted. 

74. A player cannot be compelled to play a card 
which would oblige him to revoke. 

75. The call of an exposed card may be repeated 
until it be played. 



LEADS OUT OF TURN 

76. If either adversary of the declarer lead out of 
turn, the declarer may either treat the card so led as 
exposed or may call a suit as soon as it is the turn of 
either adversary to lead. Should they lead simtil- 

237 



taneously, the lead from the proper hand stands, and 
the other card is exposed. 

77. If the declarer lead out of turn, either from his 
own hand or dummy, he incurs no penalty, but he may 
not rectify the error unless directed to do so by an 
adversary.^ If the second hand play, the lead is 
accepted. 

78. If an adversary of the declarer lead out of turn, 
and the declarer follow either from his own hand or 
dummy, the trick stands. If the declarer before play- 
ing refuse to accept the lead, the leader may be penalized 
as provided in Law 76. 

79. If a player called on to lead a suit have none of 
it, the penalty is paid. 

CARDS PLAYED IN ERROR 

80. Should the fourth hand, not being dimimy or 
declarer, play before the second, the latter may be 
required to play his highest or lowest card of the suit 
led, or to win or lose the trick. In such case, if the 
second hand be void of the suit led, the declarer in lieu 
of any other penalty may call upon the second hand 
to play the highest card of any designated suit. If he 
name a suit of which the second hand is void, the 
penalty is paid.^ 

81. If any one, except dummy, omit playing to a 
trick, and such error be not corrected until he has 
played to the next, the adversaries or either of them 

^ The rule in Law 50c as to consultations governs the right of 
adversaries to consult as to whether such direction be given. 

2 Should the declarer play third hand before the second hand, 
the fourth hand may without penalty play before his partner. 

238 



may claim a new deal; should either decide that the 
deal stand, the surplus card (at the end of the hand) 
is considered played to the imperfect trick, but does 
not constitute a revoke therein.^ 

82. When any one, except dummy, plays two or 
more cards to the same trick and the mistake is not 
corrected, he is answerable for any consequent revokes 
he may make. When the error is detected during the 
play, the tricks may be counted face downward, to 
see if any contain more than four cards; should this 
be the case, the trick which contains a surplus card or 
cards may be examined and such card or cards restored 
to the original holder.^ 

THE REVOKE 3 

83. A revoke occurs when a player, other than 
dimimy, holding one or more cards of the suit led, plays 
a card of a different suit. It becomes an established 
revoke when the trick in which it occurs is turned and 
quitted by the rightful winners {i. e., the hand removed 
from the trick after it has been turned face downward 
on the table), or when either the revoking player or 
his partner, whether in turn or otherwise, leads or 
plays to the following trick. 

84. The penalty for each established revoke is: 

(a) When the declarer revokes, he cannot score for tricks 
and his adversaries add 100 points to their score 
in the honor column, in addition to any penalty 

* As to the right of adversaries to consult, see Law 50c. 

2 Either adversary may decide which card shall be considered 
played to the trick which contains more than four cards. 

3 See Law 73. 

239 



which he may have incurred for not making good 
his declaration. 

(b) When either of the adversaries revokes, the declarer 

may either add loo points to his score in the honor 
column or take three tricks from his opponents and 
add them to his own.^ Such tricks may assist the 
declarer to make good his declaration, but shall 
not entitle him to score any bonus in the honor 
column in case the declaration has been doubled or 
redoubled, nor to a slam or little slam not otherwise 
obtained.^ 

(c) When, during the play of a deal, more than one 

revoke is made by the same side, the penalty for 
each revoke after the first is loo points. 

The value of their honors is the only score that can 
be made by a revoking side. 

85. A player may ask his partner if he have a card 
of the suit which he has renounced; should the ques- 
tion be asked before the trick be turned and quitted, 
subsequent turning and quitting does not establish a 
revoke, and the error may be corrected unless the ques- 
tion be answered in the negative, or unless the revoking 
player or his partner have led or played to the fol- 
lowing trick. 

8sa. Should the diunmy leave the table during the 
play, he may ask his adversaries to protect him from 
revokes during his absence; such protection is generally 
called ''the courtesies of the table'* or ''the courtesies 
due an absentee.** 

If he make such request the penalty may not be 
enforced for a revoke made by the declarer during the 

1 The dummy may advise the declarer which penalty to exact. 

2 The value of the three tricks, doubled or redoubled^ as the 
case may be, is counted in the trick score, 

240 



dummy's absence unless in due season an adversary 
have asked the declarer whether he have a card of the 
suit he has renounced. 

86. If a player correct his mistake in time to save 
a revoke, any player or players who have followed him 
may withdraw his or their cards and substitute others, 
and the cards so withdrawn are not exposed. If the 
player in fault be one of the declarer's adversaries, the 
card played in error is exposed, and the declarer may 
call it whenever he pleases, or he may require the 
offender to play his highest or lowest card of the suit 
to the trick. 

86a. If the player in fault be the declarer, either 
adversary may require him to play the highest or low- 
est card of the suit in which he has renounced, provided 
both his adversaries have played to the current trick; 
but this penalty may not be exacted from the declarer 
when he is fourth in hand, nor can it be enforced at 
all from the dtmimy. 

87. At the end of the play the claimants of a revoke 
may search all the tricks. If the cards have been 
mixed, the claim may be urged and proved if possible ; 
but no proof is necessary and the claim is established 
if, after it is made, the accused player or his partner 
mix the cards before they have been sufficiently ex- 
amined by the adversaries. 

88. A revoke cannot be claimed after the cards have 
been cut for the following deal. 

89. Should both sides revoke, the only score per- 
mitted is for honors. In such case, if one side revoke 
more than once, the penalty of 100 points for each 
extra revoke is scored by the other side. 

241 



GENERAL LAWS 

90. A trick turned and quitted may not be looked 
at (except under Law 82) until the end of the play. 
The penalty for the violation of this law is 25 points 
in the adverse honor score. 

91. Any player during the play of a trick or after 
the four cards are played, and before the trick is turned 
and quitted, may demand that the cards be placed 
before their respective players. 

92. When an adversary of the declarer, before his 
partner plays, calls attention to the trick, either by 
saying it is his, or, without being requested to do so, 
by naming his card or drav/ing it toward him, the de- 
clarer may require such partner to play his highest or 
lowest card of the suit led, or to win or lose the trick. 

93. An adversary of the declarer may call his part- 
ner's attention to' the fact that he is about to play or 
lead out of turn ; but if, during the play, he make any 
unauthorized reference to any incident of the play, 
the declarer may call a suit from the adversary whose 
next turn it is to lead. If the dummy similarly offend, 
either adversary may call a lead when it is the next 
turn of the declarer to lead from either hand. 

94. In all cases where a penalty has been incurred, 
the offender is bound to give reasonable time for the 
decision of his adversaries. 

NEW CARDS 

95. Unless a pack be imperfect, no player has the 
right to call for one new pack. When fresh cards are 
demanded, two packs must be furnished. When they 

242 



are produced during a rubber, the adversaries of the 
player demanding them have the choice of the new 
cards. If it be the beginning of a new rubber, the 
dealer, whether he or one of his adversaries call for 
the new cards, has the choice. New cards cannot be 
substituted after the pack has been cut for a new 
deal. 

96. A card or cards torn or marked must be replaced 
by agreement or nev/ cards furnished. 

BYSTANDERS 

97. While a bystander, by agreement among the 
players, may decide an^^ question, he should not say 
anything unless appealed to; and if he make any re- 
mark which calls attention to an oversight affecting 
the score, or to the exaction of a penalty, he is liable 
to be called upon by the players to pay the stakes (not 
extras) lost. 

ETIQUETTE OF AUCTION 

In the game of Auction slight intimations convey 
much information. The code succinctly states laws 
which jfix penalties for an offense. To offend against 
etiquette is far more serious than to offend against a 
law; for in the latter case the offender is subject to the 
prescribed penalties; in the former his adversaries are 
without redress. 

I. Declarations should be made in a simple manner, 
thus: ''one heart," *' one no trump," ''pass," ''double"; 
they should be made orally and not by gesture. 

243 



2. Aside from his legitimate declaration, a player 
should not show by word or gesture the nature of his 
hand, or his pleasure or displeasure at a play, bid, or 
double. 

3. If a player demand that the cards be placed, he 
should do so for his own information and not to call 
his partner's attention to any card or play. 

4. An opponent of the declarer should not lead until 
the preceding trick has been turned and quitted; nor, 
after having led a winning card, should he draw an- 
other from his hand before his partner has played to 
the current trick. 

5. A card should not be played with such emphasis 
as to draw attention to it, nor should a player de- 
tach one card from his hand and subsequently play 
another. 

6. A player should not purposely incur a penalty 
because he is willing to pay it, nor should he make a 
second revoke to conceal a first. 

7. Conversation during the play should be avoided, 
as it may annoy players at the table or at other tables 
in the room. 

8. The dummy should not leave his seat to watch 
his partner play. He should not call attention to the 
score nor to any card or cards that he or the other 
players hold. 

9. If a player say, **I have the rest,*' or any words 
indicating that the remaining tricks, or any number 
thereof, are his, and one or both of the other players 
expose his or their cards, or request him to play out 
the hand, he should not allow any information so ob- 
tained to influence his play. 

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10. If a player concede, in error, one or more tricks, 
the concession should stand. 

11. A player having been cut out of one table should 
not seek admission in another unless willing to cut for 
the privilege of entry. 



THE END 



